We Nightmare You
by jcrycolr3wradc
Summary: When an attempt to use the Book of Eibon goes catastrophically wrong the meisters and weapons find themselves trapped in another world where weapons are the mere tools of their meisters, and the witches are the only thing standing between Death and the end of the world. They must struggle to get home or succumb to their own nightmares. (Resbang '15 Kirona, SoMa, BlackStar/Tsubaki)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This has been done for Resbang 2015! I need to thank the following people for making sure this looked clean and amazing: Choaticlivi, who is a rockstar, who gave me constant inspiration and Kaen-daughter-of-loki, who let me rant to her about characterization. Thank you guys so so much. This wouldn't be here without you.

The amazing art was done by Chaoticlivi and Bluestarii! Thank you so much!

 **CHAPTER 1**

"This'll be easy."

Black*Star dribbled the basketball in between his legs, spun and shot. The ball went in with a 'whoosh' and Tsubaki clapped, standing in the shade of the tree next to the court.

"Easy." Maka flipped through the book, occasionally highlighting something in it. Soul tried to block Black*Star's next shot but fell short. The ball went over his head and bounced off the hoop into the net.

"Simple." Kid nodded once, standing behind the bench with his hands in his pockets. The sun grinned overhead. Patti stole the ball away from Black*Star and cheered loudly when she shot it in the hoop. Liz stood next to Tsubaki, drawing a file over her fingernails.

Crona chewed their lip, tightening the grasp on their arm. They glanced at Kid, eyes meeting for a fraction of a second, before their gaze darted back to the ground.

"A-are you sure?"

Maka turned around to face Crona. "Yeah! Lord Death gave us this mission specifically."

"Just use that weird book we found in the wreckage of Baba Yaga castle, check it out and report back." Black*Star shot the basketball over Patti's head. "I don't even know why he's sending a big man like me to do it. He could send some of those kids from NOT class, and stop wasting my time."

Kid frowned. "My father thinks this could be another one of Eibon's works, and if it is, it needs to be destroyed immediately. Nothing from Eibon, or anything we found in the castle, can remain." He looked over at Crona again, then turned his eyes forward.

Soul rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah. Anyway, it'll be easy, Crona. If you worry too much you'll start going gray."

Crona looked down at their hands, alarm all over their face. Kid could feel a small smile steal over his face, but quickly smoothed it out before anyone else noticed.

With a squish and a crack Ragnarok appeared. "It's a figure of speech, you fucking moron. Besides, you're already gray, remember? I live in you."

Maka tossed one pigtail over her shoulder. "No one asked you, Ragnarok," she snapped at Crona's partner.

The black blood snorted. "Nobody ever does." With that he disappeared back into Crona, who was still frowning.

"W-why doesn't Lord Death send his three star meisters? You're still students," they insisted.

Black*Star whipped around, holding the ball. "Are saying you doubt the great me, Crona?" he demanded.

Crona shook their head frantically. "N-no! I-I'm just afraid for you," they whispered, head down. Pale hands flexed in the fabric of their dress, crumpling it in anxiety. Kid twitched to take their hands in his, then remembered his place and held still. Maka grabbed Crona's hand over the back of the bench. "Crona. Lord Death trusts us, and if it really was too dangerous, I don't think he'd risk sending us. So please don't worry okay? We'll be fine." Slowly, Crona nodded squeezing Maka's hand.

Crona was not allowed to come with them, having still not fully regained the trust of Lord Death. They were back on probation status as a student and could not take missions. Crona understood. Maka, on the other hand, wasn't pleased that Crona was still being treated like a criminal even after Medusa's death and Asura's downfall.

Life was slowly regaining rhythm after Asura's defeat. The city had returned to it's place in Nevada and the lingering strains of madness were being washed away by time. Some of the changes had been permanent, however. Witches who surrendered immediately after Arachne's death had sought sanctuary with the DWMA and the samurai Mifune and his charge Angela had been taken in as defectors and given a place to stay in the city limits.

The Immortal Wolfman who proudly claimed his name was Free, and the witch Eruka were captured trying to escape the wreckage of Baba Yaga castle. The Mizune sisters had slipped away, much to Blair's disappointment. During the search and raid of the castle, they had found many magical artifacts hidden in the basement of the castle and among them had been an untitled book. When reported to Lord Death, he had demanded it be brought to him immediately for examination.

The Book of Eibon. An old and extremely powerful magic tool. It was where Eibon had planned most of his inventions and spells and the magic that lingered in it almost had a life of it's own. Ebon was apparently a notorious trickster and Lord Death was concerned that Arachnophobia may have used some of his designs. Lord Death's instructions were to have the book opened, to send Maka, Black*Star and Kid with their partners into it. They were to make a run through the book to make sure that nothing from Arachnophobia lingered.

"This'll be easy." Black*Star bragged again, and he shot the ball over his shoulder. It bounced on the rim, circled, and fell off.

"Ugh, why do we have to do this so early?" Liz yawned into her hand, climbing the stairs up to the school. The sun was already climbing into the sky, warming the earth and grinning maniacally.

"We don't know how long it will take. We need to get started, in case this is harder than anticipated," Kid responded. Patti bounded ahead of them, taking the stairs two at a time.

"What happened to 'this will be easy'?" Liz grumbled, but quieted as they neared the school. Maka, Soul, Black*Star, and Tsubaki were waiting at the top. Patti reached them first.

"Hey guys! Are we ready?" She waved her hands in the air. Black*Star hi-fived her.

"Hell yeah, let's go do this." Kid and Liz reached the top.

"I'm never going to get used to those stairs." Liz clutched at a stitch in her side.

"C'mon, Stein is getting the stuff set up for us in one of the unused classrooms." Soul turned around and started walking inside.

"Stuff?" Liz raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Since it's a wizard's book we need to do all kinds of freaky occult shit to get inside. Sid is bringing up that frog witch Justin caught to help with the incantations," Soul explained. Then he glared at Maka. " _We've_ been here since six am, since miss goody-two shoes just needed to see how it was done. _We_ could have been in bed, but no -" Maka punched him in the arm.

"Shut up Soul. _We_ need to do this right. This isn't an ordinary mission and we can't afford to mess it up." Maka tossed a pigtail over her shoulder.

"Wait wait wait! Occult shit! Nobody said anything about occult shit." Liz stopped walking, tired mind finally catching up with the conversation. "I'm allergic to stuff like that."

"Liz, don't worry about it. It's just to get in the book. We don't know what's going to be inside after all," Tsubaki said.

"That's not helping." Liz reluctantly started following again.

They made their way further into the school, to one of the old abandoned sections over the library. Not all of the school was used at all times. This area was dark and the doors stood gaping open, revealing empty room after empty room. The high windows allow sunlight to shine through but all it illuminated was dust particles in the stale air. It was startling when the sound of footsteps came from behind. Liz flinched preemptively.

"M-maka!" Crona ran up, panting.

"Good morning, Crona! Come to see me be awesome?" Black*Star greeted them. Crona bit their lip and nodded timidly. Black*Star laughed. "Don't worry, no need to be shy! One day you might be second best." Maka aimed a punch at his chest but the blue haired ninja dodged backward. Laughing, he grabbed Tsubaki's hand and rushed down the hall to the room. Maka rolled her eyes before turning to Crona.

"What did you need, Crona?"

Crona's eyes darted from Maka's face to Kid's then down to their shoes. "I um, I w-wanted to talk to Kid." Maka's eyebrows rose and she shot a suspicious look at Kid. He shrugged his shoulders, face perfectly blank.

"Alright. We'll see you in a second." Maka and Soul walked down to the end of the hallway, Maka checking over her shoulder at them. Crona looked up through their bangs, and bit their lip. They shifted their weight from one foot to the other, stirring up dust.

"What did you need, Crona?" Kid prompted. The dust from the hallway was making his eyes itch and he'd just noticed that the doors weren't evenly placed apart.

"C-can I talk to you? A-alone I mean?" Crona looked nervously at Liz and Patti. Kid turned to them.

"I'll be down there is just a moment." Liz shrugged, and Patti giggled.

"Okay. We'll tell them not to start the freaky occult stuff without you." Liz turned away, following her sister down the hallway.

Crona waited until they were a distance away before turning back to Kid. For a moment they simply stared at him, hands wringing and eyes flicking over his face. Kid stepped closer, drawing his hands out of his pockets. Slowly he reached out to their hands and drew his fingers lightly over the back of their pale hands. His back was to the room, so anyone watching would have simply seen him talking to Crona. Kid focused on their face, finding it easier to concentrate.

"K-kid, I-I-I." Crona stopped, swallowed, and started over. "Kid. I'm frightened for you!" Crona whispered hurriedly, then bit their lip. Kid frowned. That was his job, to bite that lip.

"Please don't be. There have been riskier missions. We'll be back before you know it." Kid responded softly.

"Kid!" Liz called from down the hall. "Let's go! We're nearly set up."

He nodded distractedly, never taking his eyes from Crona's face.

"I-I have a feeling, Kid. It's bad. Please, please…" Crona whispered urgently, eyes wide with an emotion that they didn't know how to properly express. Kid's hands curled around Crona's, holding tight.

"Kid! C'mon! Let's go!"

Kid held a hand up at the door.

He turned back to the taller meister. "Crona, I really have to go."

They nodded hesitantly.

"You'll come back? Y-you swear?" Crona's hands were cold and but it didn't bother Kid, his own hands were as well.

Kid paused. Then slowly he nodded as well. "Yes. Always. I promise."

Crona smiled a little, blue eyes widening in pleasure. Kid was surprised to find himself smiling back. Such small acts could make Crona happy. A kind word or action would have them pleased for hours afterward. Kid checked back over his shoulder and, seeing that the doorway was empty of observers, gave Crona a small peck on the lips. Their eyes fluttered in amazement and softened, looking down at Kid in wonder.

"I'll come back." He promised, squeezing their hands one more time. Crona took a deep breath and stepped back.

"I trust you, Kid."

"GET YOUR ASS IN HERE REAPER!" They both jumped at Patti's shout, letting go of each other's hands.

"Yes. Yes." Kid stepped in, Crona following behind like a shadow.

The room had been cleared of all the tables and chairs, allowing room for the ceremony to take place. In the middle of the marble floor, a large chalk drawing had been laid out. A circle in a square of salt, which Kid carefully stepped over. In the circle there were four arrows, pointing to each cardinal direction. Laid over them was another four, northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest. Around the border of the circle there were various incantations, some decipherable, some meaningless and chaotic. Kid wrinkled his nose as the overpowering smell of sage reached his nose.

"Nice of you to join us, Kid." Stein blew out a mouthful of smoke, resting his head on the back of his chair.

"Apologies, shall we get started?" He smoothly moved to stand in between Liz and Patti. Crona hung near the door, clutching their arm. Stein stood and his back cracked. Soul winced.

"If you insist. You all know the mission right?"

"Go in, investigate, return, report," Maka recited immediately. Black*Star coughed into his hand, something like 'Suck up'. Maka didn't even glance at him, but aimed a hit at him anyway. Black*Star dodged away again. Stein sighed but Kid saw his lips tip up in amusement.

"That's right. Now we only need one more thing. Sid, bring in the witch." Stein called out and the door to the teacher's office opened.

The witch Eruka held her head up but her lips trembled and beads of sweat dripped down her nose and damped the prison clothes she wore. Her hands were tightly tied behind her with anti-magic infused iron chains. Sid held the chain linked to a collar around her neck firmly, walking her before him. He stopped her about a foot from the salt line. Sid undid the chains from her arms but left the heavy chain and collar around her neck. He attached the chain to an anchor in the floor. With five meisters, two of whom were three-stars, and four weapons, a chained witch wouldn't last very long, but it was still best to err on the side of prudence and caution. The tension in the chain and collar forced her head up and Kid saw her wince when the chain swayed, tightening on her throat.

Sid stood at the door, arms crossed, silent, face fixed in a permanent grimace.

"You are the witch Eruka, correct? Your familiar is a frog?" Stein asked as she stood in the center of the room before the line of salt. The muscles in her cheek ticked, but she didn't reply. Stein sighed and quicker than lightning he shocked her with a burst from his soul force.

Eruka gasped in pain and nearly crumpled to the ground. Kid saw Crona make to start forward, concern all over their features. Stein shot them a sharp looked and Crona moved back against the wall.

"You are the witch Eruka correct? You allied yourself with Medusa, and helped free the Kishin?" Stein barked. Eruka's eyes were teary but her voice kept steady.

"Yes! I am Eruka, and the amphibian anura is my familiar."

Stein's glasses flashed in the light of the classroom. "No comment about Medusa?" Eruka sent him a hard look.

"I have plenty of comments about her. But I have even more for people who detain me without reason." She tilted her head up, and Kid wasn't sure if it was because the collar was pressing on her air pipe or if it was pride. Stein shrugged.

"You're a witch. That's reason enough." He reached over to the chair he had been sitting on and grabbed the book, handing it to her. "Let's get started, shall we? You were briefed by Sid about the ceremony?"

Reluctantly Eruka took the book from Stein, her arms shaking under it's weight. She opened it and swallowed.

"Maka, Black*Star, Kid. Stand in the circle," Stein directed. The weapons transformed and everyone stepped into the chalk line, careful not to touch it.

Maka's face was fierce with determination, back straight and hands tight around Soul. Black*Star grinned and when he moved, Tsubaki's chain glinted in the sunlight. Kid stood straight, Liz and Patti in his hands.

"You understand the mission? Investigate the book and return?" Stein asked.

"Yes, Professor." Maka nodded sharply. Stein grinned.

"Good. As always there's only one rule; don't die. Good luck. Eruka, begin."

The witch took a deep breath and with one hand supporting the tome, she moved the other across the page.

"Annon unus alterum, moventur. Hoc page transitus ad sequentia de hoc mundo. Eibon vocabo vestros."

The pressure seemed to drop in the circle as the salt lit up in flame. Eruka repeated her chant as the fire went higher. There was a _whooshing_ through the circle, stirring Maka's pigtails and ruffling their clothing. Kid felt as though he had become rooted to the floor through the balls of his feet. It felt like the ground was tipping, and Kid almost leaned forward to try and catch himself. The fire was climbing higher and higher with every repeated verse of the spell. It slowly blocked off sight from the room and Crona stared through it, eyes unnaturally bright.

Kid was finally aware that something was wrong when the fire started burning higher and higher but Eruka was quiet, her mouth open, staring in shock. The wind howled now and blew around the room, rampaging, shaking windows and blowing papers around. The book fell to the ground, opening, and the pages started turning like someone was rifling through them quickly.

"Stop it!" Stein shouted over the howling wind and through the flames Kid saw him grab Eruka, who finally wrenched her eyes away.

"I can't! This isn't how it's-" Stein shoved her back and she fell to her knees.

Stein whipped around and charged his soul force. "Twin palm for-!" The moment his hands touched the flame it seemed to grow, shooting above the heads of the meisters trapped inside. Stein withdrew his hands, hissing. His hands smoked and the palms were the bright, angry red of undercooked steak.

"Don't touch the fire," he shouted over the wind and fire. Kid couldn't even if he wanted to. Every muscle was frozen, his entire body paralyzed and stuck to the ground like a statue. But Stein wasn't talking to them. He was addressing Crona.

The wind and fire was too loud now to hear what Crona was shouting, but the panic on their face was easy to understand. Stein held them back while the fire reached it's crescendo, licking the ceiling. The tipping feeling changed and if Kid couldn't see the world rightside up, he'd swear it was upside down. His mind spun and the smoke was getting in his eyes, blacking everything out.

Crona yelled something, staring through the smoke at him, and he wanted to tell them not to worry but the only thing he could do was stare as the darkness closed in around him and suddenly whatever rooted him to the floor tore loose and Kid was falling.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Despite not being able to remember hitting the ground, Kid awoke to find himself pressed face down to the dirt. Kid sat up immediately, disgusted. He was brushing himself off when everyone else started coming to.

"What the fuck was that?" were the first words out of Black*Star's mouth when he got out of the dirt, helping Tsubaki up as well.

"I think we can safely say something went wrong," Kid responded, still trying to get every speck of dirt off. Liz rolled over with a groan and yelped when she came eye to eye with a spider in the grass. Patti got up first, looking around at the trees that surrounded them.

"This doesn't look like a book," she pointed out, pulling Liz up. Tsubaki shook Maka and Soul awake. "What do you think happened, Kid?"

Kid shrugged. "My theory is that the witch probably didn't read the spell right. She might not have had the power to get us into the book and so it sent us somewhere else?" Maka and Soul were standing now, even though Soul looked like he wanted to throw up and Maka's pigtails were coming undone. Kid's fingers itched to fix them. He put his hands in his pockets instead.

"It doesn't matter how we got here, we need to figure out how to get back." Maka looked around, using her soul perception. "There aren't any humans around. I don't think we're close to any cities."

The woods were dark and clustered with very old trees, the bark grey and peeling, and they seemed to be living to spite those who tried to cross the forest. It air itself felt unfriendly. Liz shifted uncomfortably.

"W-well how do we get back? Just stay here or try and find someplace less," she looked around, "creepy?"

Maka walked in a small circle, eyeing the trees. "Hey, does this feel familiar to anyone else?" She looked at Black*Star.

"Huh? How the hell would I remember? I have bigger things to worry about," he scoffed and tossed his head back.

"Maka. What do you mean? You think we've been here before?" Kid straightened up, re-scanning the surroundings.

"Yeah. I think this is the same forest Baba Yaga castle was in. These trees, they definitely look similar," Maka explained. "It feels the same too, like the air is filled with static."

"Why would the book send us back to Baba Yaga?" Soul wondered aloud, frowning at the ground.

"We sure as hell wrecked that place once, what the hell could still be there?" Black*Star asked, looking between Kid and Maka.

Kid narrowed his eyes. "Maybe it's reacting to another magic tool?" Had they missed something? It had taken days to clear out all of the artifacts from the castle, how could anything be left, outside of that broken husk of a building?

Maka straightened up and adjusted her tie. "I don't know, but if there's something still there then it's our job as Academy students to find out," she said fiercely.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Liz held out her hands. "Can you tell for sure if this is it or not?" She addressed Maka. Maka shook her head. "Then what do we do if this isn't and we get lost? This is the kinda creepy place where murders happen and movies like Chainsaw 3 take place. We should wait and see if that portal reopens."

Maka scoffed. "C'mon Liz. We know you're just saying that 'cause you're scared. We need to go investigate."

"Yeah, duh I'm freaked out by being back in a place we have no business being in. Let's just wait to see if it reopens Maka," Liz implored.

"We'll vote," Maka compromised. "Hands up if you want to stay here to see if the portal opens." Only Liz and Patti put up their hands. Liz shot an angry glare at Kid.

"Liz. Maka's right. We need to go see if there is anything left at the castle." She sighed and dropped her shoulders in surrender.

"Alright fine, let's go explore the spooky castle. This'll be great," she muttered cynically. Black*Star laughed and clapped her on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, Liz! I'll be there to protect us, what kind of idiot would be dumb enough to try and sneak up on a big man like me?" Tsubaki gave him an affectionate half smile and transformed.

"Yeah. I feel much better now." Liz rolled her eyes and Patti giggled.

"Aw come on Lizzy. We'll be there with Kiddo. He'd never let anything hurt us," Patti said confidently, hugging her sister and then turning into a gun.

"Yeah. That's true." Liz shot a grin at Kid, who shrugged, holding out his hand for her.

"I appreciate the confidence."

Liz landed in his other hand, the smooth metal and weight a comfort. Maka and Black*Star were already ahead of them.

"Let's go."

X~x~X

The trees in the wood seemed to loom over the group as they walked, bent in instead of standing straight up. The air was close and still, yet utterly silent. It's was if every living thing in the forest was holding its breath, desperately trying not to make a sound.

In comparison, Kid was hyper aware of every footfall they're were making: Maka's boot's weren't exactly made for being quiet in, and Black*Star wouldn't value the word silence, let alone try to obey it. If there was anything in this place, the chances of sneaking up on it were next to zero.

When Black*Star stopped suddenly, Maka nearly crashed into him. The ninja was still, every muscle tight, and eyes narrowed.

"What is it?" Kid asked, voice tight with suppressed nerves. This place was putting him on edge. The trees were so haphazardly placed that he could already feel anxiety chewing on the fringes of his mind.

"We're being followed." Black*Star's voice was low, but he started to grin. Kid swept the area on instinct. Maka put Soul up in defense.

"My soul perception isn't sensing anything. Are you sure?"

"Yes. They're trying hard but they aren't a match for the three laws of the assassin." Black*Star grinned full on, bringing Tsubaki level with his eyes. The dark shadows were already making their way across his face. Kid eyed the still and quiet underbrush, only seeing the souls of small animals and birds.

"I'm still not seeing anything." His eyes narrowed. "You, Maka?"

"No. Just animals. Black*Star can you-" The only warning something was wrong was the sudden snapping and cracking of branches high above. They had enough time to look up, but all there was, was a shadow moving across the canopy, scattering leaves. Kid immediately started shooting upwards, trying to make out what it was. The shape of the soul was a muddy and murky purple, that of a witch. With a leap, it fell towards them.

It landed on Maka without a sound, only the whoosh of displaced air to give it away. The only thing Kid could see was a mass of black, folding and unfolding like a pair of wings. Black*Star flipped away, Tsubaki transforming into a ninja short sword. Kid moved as well, trying to give Maka the range she needed to swing Soul without worrying about hurting one of them.

The attacker just missed landing right on top of her but didn't even moved back, grappling with Maka instead. Every move was calculated. They didn't speak or yell, ignoring Maka's enraged bellows. It was only when Maka landed a punch to their face and their head snapped back, tearing off a balaclava, did Kid realise who Maka was hitting.

"Crona?" Maka gasped, lowering her hands slightly.

It was Crona, blue eyes narrowed, and they took advantage of Maka's lowered guard to swing again. Maka shook herself out it just in time to dodge backwards. Kid pushed past his shock, and raised Liz and Patti to fire.

This was impossible. Crona couldn't be here. Unless they followed in the portal…

But that didn't explain the ferocity in their attacks, the anger in their eyes as they swung at Maka, making her back up and moving in too close for her to use Soul effectively.

"Hey Crona?! The fuck is this man?" Black*Star bellowed, running up to Crona. Kid kept firing, trying to keep his aim accurate. It was harder than he remembered, to try to hit Crona.

"Ragnarok!" For the first time Crona spoke, at last summoning their weapon. However, along with the sword appearing in their hand, a pair of charcoal colored wings burst from their back.

Crona looked like a bat out of hell, wings spread out as far as they could be, like a defensive display, with Ragnarok's sword form in their hand. With one swing, they knocked Black*Star away, sending him crashing into a tree, then using their wings as a shield, Crona charged at Kid. He rolled to the side, trying to stay out of range of Ragnarok. Maka came back and tried to loop Soul around Crona. With a quick, upwards swing Crona knocked Soul away, nearly tearing him out of Maka's grasp. While Crona engaged once more with Maka, Black*Star took the opportunity to try and launch another attack at Crona's back.

"You should really know better than to turn your back on such a big man by now, Crona!" He shouted, shadow lines already criss-crossing his face. Crona turned just in time to see him sprinting at them, and once again called on their weapon.

"Ragnarok."

Like the wings, black blood erupted from Crona's back, forming the head, torso and arms of their weapon who was bearing swords of his own. One was long and serrated, and one looked like a massive cleaver. Kid nearly lowered Patti and Liz in shock.

That was new.

Ragnarok engaged Black*Star while Crona dueled Maka. With the wings still out, it was difficult for Kid to get a clear shot.

The fighting style was all wrong.

Crona had been led by instinct, and never formally trained. Stein was forever correcting Crona's grip on Ragnarok and their stance. But here, Crona fell into it naturally, the poses of someone who had been drilled for hours on sword movements. Every move was practiced, confident and sure. This Crona and Ragnarok were working in harmony, together as a unit. Crona and Ragnarok as he knew them couldn't even use soul resonance.

Kid's eyes widen as he realised what he might be looking at.

This was not Crona.

At least not the Crona they knew. This was a different Crona, a stranger who looked like their friend.

This was all wrong.

For a moment it looked like Crona was going to have to back up under the barrage from all three side. Using their wings, Crona guarded against Maka's blows and pushed Black*Star away. Crona backed up and narrowed their eyes.

"Crona! What do you think you're doing?" Maka demanded, half rhetorical and half serious. Her grip was tight around Soul.

Crona ignored the question and instead backed up another few feet, Maka and Black*Star trailing them, cornering them into an ancient tree . Finally, Crona stopped at the base of the large pine tree, the dark shadows half hiding their face; their wings seemed to melt and disappeared. Ragnarok stayed out, watching over his meister's shoulder.

"You should know better by now, Albarn. You should watch where you stand," Crona called out and Kid jerked again is surprise. Maka also gasped.

"Kid! What is it? You're all over the place." Liz said to him.

"That's not Crona. That's not Crona's voice." He muttered, trying to keep the black blooded meister from hearing. "It's too confident. Crona never uses Maka's last name either-" Kid was interrupted before he could try and explain his theory about this Crona being different from their Crona.

"Draco rosoidea draconius, roso." Crona held their arms out, moving them up and down gently and black vines covered in thorns shot out from their wrists. It was magic, a magic spell. His, their Crona had never even been trained in magic. Black*Star rolled to dodge but the vines followed his movements easily. Wrapping around the assassin's arms and waist, the vines quickly pinned him to the ground. Maka yelled as she was brought to her knees and forced down as well. One of the vines coiled around Soul and forced the scythe to the forest floor with his meister. The vines seemed to sink into the ground like tent poles, pinning the meisters and weapons down. Black*Star yelled in rage, fighting against the coils. With every jerk Kid saw them tighten, until Black*Star was ripping his clothing to shreds on the thorns. Tsubaki lay on the ground next to him, still in weapon form.

KId growled and left his meager cover to fire at Crona. He got a shot and watched with a bitter sort of satisfaction as Crona jerked in surprise.

The victory was short lived however, as Crona whipped around to glare at him. The look in their eyes was so distant and cold Kid could feel something in his chest become bitter, breaking.

Ragnarok disappeared back into Crona with soft squish.

"Bloody slicer!" Crona called, whipping their arm out in Kid's direction. A crescent shaped arc of blood flew at him and Kid ducked as it went overhead. It boomeranged back to Crona, who caught it. With a quick motion Kid watched as Crona sliced the bottoms of their feet on the impliment, black blood quickly pooling on the ground. Then Crona looked at him and pounced.

The blood seemed to form spikes under Crona's feet, like long sharp, stilettos that increased their range.

"Kid! Look out!" Liz shouted as Crona brought one up one weaponised foot to try and stab him. Kid spun and tried to bring himself back to the moment. He shot once, twice, three times, into Crona's back before they managed to spin on the spike of blood.

"Crona, what are you doing?" He shouted desperately, dodging again, and Crona kicked at him. It was only a matter of time until they brought out Ragnarok again and added more blades. Kid needed a decisive blow before that or he was going to end up tied by the same black blooded vines as Black*Star and Maka.

Much to his surprise, Crona responded to his question.

"What are you doing this far into our bounds, son of Death? The reaper wouldn't send out his three best fighters this far in without backup." Crona materialised the long serrated form of Ragnarok and Kid skipped back to avoid the lunge. "I want to know why!" They shouted, kicking out again. Kid fired, aiming for the central mass, hoping that with so much of their blood out, Crona would have to weaken their best defensive measure somewhere.

"Liz, Patti. Soul reso-"

"Roso draconius!" Crona cut him off, and from behind, Kid felt the vines quickly wrap around his shoulders and arms, squeezing tightly. Another came up to wrap around his neck, and Kid was yanked backwards down to the dirt. His head bounced against the cold hard earth and for a second Kid lost his focus, his grip on Liz and Patti faltering. The vines wrapped around his partners, both of whom cried out. Kid stared up at the dark sky above the tree-tops. The trees seemed to be dark lances, casting arrows like shadows over them and hiding the sun. He could feel the vibrations as Crona walked closer.

"Tsubaki! Now!" Black*Star barked, voice slightly muffled from being pressed into the dirt.

Kid twisted his head slightly to see Tsubaki leap out of her weapon form and instead used her own long hair as the chain scythe. Crona jumped back in surprise and as they dueled, Kid lost sight of them. There was the thudding near his head and one of Crona's swords twirled overhead.

"Why are you doing this, Crona? Is it Medusa?" Tsubaki called urgently, her normally soft voice hard.

Crona didn't answer and Kid heard someone yelp and then there was another thud.

"No one move." Crona spoke through their panting.

"Bastard! Let her go!" Black*Star snarled.

"How were you able to transform? Weapons aren't allowed to transform!" Crona shouted.

"What?" Kid craned his head, trying to see them. Tilting all the way back he could see upside down Crona holding one long dark blade to Tsubaki's throat. Ragnarok's arms held Tsubaki still. "What do mean, weapons aren't allowed to transform?"

Crona sneered, their face finally animating a little from that cold expression they had worn during the fight.

"Death doesn't let weapons transform. They're tools to their meisters."

Kid heard Maka gasp.

"That's wrong! It's a partnership, meister and weapon working together!" She called out to Crona.

Crona laughed and Kid heard Black*Star strain against the black thorn studded vines.

"That's certainly a different song from the last one Albarn. What about-" Suddenly Crona stopped.

"What happened to your scar?" They demanded, looking at Black*Star. "Mifune cut that tattoo in half!"

Despite being slowly crushed by the vines Black*Star laughed. "Hahaha! That Samurai couldn't touch me if he tried! He's way too small to beat a big man like me."

"He's dead." Crona's voice echoed in the trees. Black*Star stopped moving and Kid's breath froze in his chest.

"W-what?"

"He's been dead for a year. He and Angela both." Crona said and Kid saw them press the sword closer to Tsubaki. She didn't even flinch, eyes calm and steady.

"Crona. Black*Star didn't kill Mifune. He and Angela are both alive. They're in Death City." She said quietly.

"We all saw it. They died in front of everyone." Crona insisted.

"Crona! Listen to me. We aren't who you think we are!" Kid called out. "I don't know how but we've come from a different place!"

He saw Crona turn their head just slightly toward him, frowning.

"How?"

"The Book of Eibon."

Crona gaped, eyes wide. "How do you know about that? Aunt- I mean Lady Arachne doesn't tell anyone about that."

"Let Tsubaki go and we can talk." Black*Star snapped.

Much to Kid's surprise, Crona complied. The black vines quickly pinned Tsubaki with the rest of them.

"Okay. Now prove that you're different. Show me that your weapons can transform." Crona ordered.

Kid gritted his teeth. Crona's tone was abrasive and far too authoritative. He breathed through his nose. "Liz, Patti."

There was a pause and then his partner's transformed. Liz squirmed in the vines, blue eyes angry as she looked at Crona.

"Soul, do it," Maka ordered. There was a moment's pause and then the whoosh of displaced air as Soul transformed.

"Oh." Kid had never heard Ragnarok sound so balanced. The weapon's usually squeaky and harsh voice was gentle and mellow. "Crona, that's-"

"I know." Crona answered quickly. Their shadow passed over Kid and he was soon looking up at their face.

"You'll be coming with me." The vines started to loosen so Kid and the others could stand up, but when he reflexively yanked his wrists, they tightened once again.

"Like hell! Try that again, Crona, I'm not going anywhere with you!" Black*Star shouted. Crona's blue eyes narrowed and they walked closer up to the assassin.

When not slouching Crona was quite tall and Black*Star was forced to look up to keep eye contact.

"You're coming with me, or you won't leave here. You might not be Death's children that I know, but I'm not letting you run loose through this forest." Crona said steadily and Ragnarok held up one long black blade. Crona crouched and picked up the vines, the blood flowing back into the cut on their wrist. "I want all of the weapons in front of me." They pointed to Soul and Tsubaki. "You two, up front." Soul glared at Crona, not moving. Crona pulled on the vine and Soul nearly stumbled to the ground. He sneered and moved to stand behind Tsubaki. Liz and Patti looked at Kid. He didn't see much of a choice, other than to obey. He dipped his head slightly, and Liz sighed, then stood behind Soul with Patti following suit.

"I want the three of you to walk behind me." Crona ordered. "First you, Albarn, then you," they pointed to Kid.

"What the hell? Why am I bringing up the rear, Crona?" Black*Star snapped. Crona pulled on the vines again, jerking him forward.

"If you think I've forgotten about your soul force attacks, you're wrong. You will stay in the back."

Maka moved first. She stood behind Crona, green eyes never leaving their focus on Crona. Kid kept his expression perfectly frozen as he stood after Maka.

Crona didn't speak as they started to move through the woods. Kid couldn't shake the foreboding feeling as they moved deeper and deeper into the dark clustered woods.

He just wasn't sure it it was for himself or Crona.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The trees got older, taller, darker the further they moved into the forest. They moved quickly, Tsubaki setting the pace, and quietly. Even the breaking of a branch in this forest sounded like a gunshot going off.

When the castle appeared through the trees it was surprising. One moment they were in the middle of the shadows, nothing but the smooth dark bark of the woods and the next they were staring at Baba Yaga castle.

Tsubaki stopped and Soul nearly crashed into her.

"Problem?" Crona asked, their tone hard.

Tsubaki looked over her shoulder, eyes flitting between Crona and Black*Star. She shook her head and resumed walking. Ragnarok readjusted his grip on the swords, still hanging out of Crona's back.

Kid turned on his soul perception and nearly gasped at the number of witch souls he saw. Hundreds - no, thousands, all clustered in the 'body' of the spider castle. More surprising, however, was also the number of human souls. Pure blue human souls, with no hint of kishin red. What were witches doing living so close to humans? Arachne had kept a large contingent of human soldiers, but not like this.

Arachne.

The thought stopped Kid in his tracks and for moment he was rooted to the ground, until a tug on the bonds made him move forward again.

If this universe was truly an inversion of the one they knew, then Arachne was most likely still alive. And what of the Kishin? Was Asura still alive or still bound under the DWMA? Kid's head began to pound as Crona walked them to the front gates.

There were no guards.

"How are we supposed to get in?" Soul asked craning his neck to look up at the towering structure.

Crona didn't answer and instead placed their hand on the stone gates. When they took their hand away there was a bright red handprint. It faded after a moment and the gates seemed to melt away, brick by brick.

"Walk forward, but watch your step. It's dark." Crona ordered. Tsubaki paused, before straightening her shoulders and plunging into the dark gaping hole the gates had melted into.

For a long few moments the world was a nothing more than the shadows and echoes as they walked through the tunnel. However, after a moment, the dark abruptly ended and it was like the volume in the world had been turned back up.

Kid heard Patti gasp "wow" under her breath and had to agree. The tunnel had led into the heart of the spider, which looked like it had been partially gutted at some point. Stone walls stood half constructed, simply awkwardly jutting into thin air. Hallways gaped open and it was only thin steel bars that prevented people from falling as they hurried through the body of the castle. The interior was lit by strings of candles casting jumpy, nervous light onto the floor and walls. People were gathered in tight huddles trying to catch the light to work by. Kid twisted his head to watch as a group of witches worked together to strip down another part of the wall. The stones were lifted and brought down slowly as if they was a priceless treasure. When on the floor, a group of humans moved it onto a cart and rolled them away. Kid tried to keep watching but Crona moved them too quickly and he was forced to turn his attention back to where they going.

"Hey Kid," Black*Star spoke from behind him, hardly bothering to lower his voice. "Check out this audience! They're all waiting to get a piece of me."

When Kid looked, he realised that Black*Star was right (in a way); Kid doubted anyone was interested in seeing Black*Star. Their little group was attracting a lot of attention. People stopped what they were doing to stare wide eyed at them. He watched one woman pull a child back, away from them. No one said anything, but Kid could feel the stares from all sides. His skin crawled under the close scrutiny. His hands itched to reach up and straighten his hair.

"Crona!" Someone was pushing their way through the crowd.

Eruka Frog was no longer in chains. Her long pale hair was cut shorter and her cheekbones stood out sharply. "Where were you? The alarms were triggered more than an hour ago and Lady -" She caught sight of Crona's capture and stiffened. "C-crona, w-what. I-I mean where did you-"

"Tell Lady Arachne that I'm coming." Crona ordered.

Kid's blood froze in his veins. He could see Maka's back stiffen. This really couldn't be much worse.

"And tell my mother to meet us."

Well. That could be the only way it could be worse.

Lady Arachne's throne room was dimly lit and cluttered. Large wooden tables were scattered through the whole room, laden with heavy tomes and bubbling cauldrons. One space was cleared for a large magic circle and another for her actual throne and a space in front of it. The chandelier overhead had candles and was caked with old wax residue.

All in all it was something like Kid's worst nightmare. How could anyone focus with the room so jumbled up? It wouldn't even be that hard to fix, for pity's sake! All you would need to do is move that table so it was parallel to other-

"Kid."

-and move the microscopes so there was only one on each-

"Kid."

-then you would move the cauldrons to either side of both tables, it would balance it out very nicely-

"Death the Kid!"

Kid froze.

Maka had been saying his name. She glared at him and then Crona pushed her to her knees.

"Please be quiet. My aunt is working." They put Kid down as well then Black*Star. "You are not to approach her under any circumstance. Do not get up. Understand?"

"I think I like you better when you're shy," Black*Star responded. Crona stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowed. Before they could cut off his head, however the door opened.

"Crona?"

Kid felt Maka stiffen next to him and slowly looked over his shoulder. Even in the dark Medusa's striding gait and profile were recognizable. It wasn't until she was standing under the light that Kid realized what was wrong with her.

It was as though someone had taken a razor to her face. One eye socket was empty, and from the lower lid a long scar ran down to her jaw line, like a tear mark engraved permanently on her skin. Someone had mutilated her face, but the remaining eye was bright and steady. Kid shuddered and turned around again, facing the throne.

He could hear Medusa and Crona talk quietly for a moment. Next to him, Maka was trembling. Her hands were clenched and from here he could even hear her teeth creak as she grit her jaw.

"Maka, calm down," he hissed under his breath. "Keep your temper." The look she gave him was so poisonous it was probably wanted for first degree murder. Kid stared back, arranging his face to be as blank as possible.

"Where did you find them?" Medusa spoke from behind them.

"The northern boundary. They were coming from the right direction," Crona responded. Kid heard one of them move around to the weapons.

"I haven't seen one of their weapons transform without direct orders since before Denver fell." Tsubaki didn't even flinch as Medusa stood in front of her.

"What is your name?"

Very slowly the weapon looked up at her. She met Medusa's stare unflinchingly, face serene as the night sky.

"Tsubaki."

"You are a weapon correct?"

She nodded, her eyes never leaving Medusa's. The witch looked over at Crona.

"We'll need Arachne to confirm, but I'm certain these are not the same weapons and meisters as the ones we've encountered." Crona took a deep breath and their eyes flickered over them.

"Copies?"

Medusa shook her head. "Giriko's dead. I'd doubt anyone else would have the skill needed to make such sophisticated puppets."

Crona tilted their head. "Stein might."

Medusa's lips compressed into a tight, thin line. "Stein might. But I'd recognize it if this was his work."

A shadow warped the darkness from behind the throne.

"Sister?" Kid had never seen Arachne while she was alive. There were very old portraits of her in some of the history books, a woman with very long dark hair and a fan demurely covering the lower half of her face. Maka had described her 'like the personification of a fine red wine. Dry, chilled and pretentious.' Soul used the term 'smug bitch'.

This Arachne didn't seem to be either. As she left the shadows, Kid saw that whatever was happening in the world had taken its toll on her. Her long dark hair was streaked with white and grey, and tightly bound in a long braid. Her face had the same sharp cheekbones as Eruka's and her hands were pockmarked with scars and burns. But what was most noticeable about her was the way she moved across the floor to her throne. Arachne shuffled, like each step had to be carefully deliberated before moving forward. She seemed to try and move her back and hips as little as possible. When she finally sat, there was a flash of pain across her face before it smoothed again.

"Arachne." Medusa tilted her head to her sister.

"Aunt." Crona bowed lower.

"Crona. Tell me what news you have from your patrol." Kid heard Crona move behind them, and there was a tug on the binds at his wrists.

"The alarms were triggered at nine am, from the northern border. We thought it was another raiding party. When Ragnarok and I went out to deal with it, we found them." There was a sharper tug and Kid heard Liz exclaim under her breath as the thorns dug into their skin.

Crona moved so they were standing between Arachne and the students kneeling on the floor.

"Aunt, these are not Death's students. They may look like them, but something is wrong. They allowed their weapons to transform, and they acted," Crona faltered "they acted as if they knew me."

"We do, Crona!" Maka finally burst out. "We're your friends! I don't know where we are, but that doesn't change that fact."

Arachne leaned back in her throne, slowly sweeping her gaze over them.

"Medusa, what do you think?" She finally asked, looking at her sister. The snake witch moved around, her sole eye roving over them.

"Well, either this is a very, very clever disguise from Death or," Medusa met her sister's eyes, "they could be telling the truth."

Finally Arachne looked down at them. "Do you have any proof that you are who you say you are?"

"DUH! Who could forget the one, the only, the Great Black*Star! If some cheap knockoff is running around with my face then trust me, I want him fucking gone."

For one moment the most shocking expression passed over Arachne's face. The hard line of her mouth softened and her glare dimmed. The candlelight flickered and Kid could almost swear he saw her lips tip into a smile.

"Lady Arachne, our goal was not to intrude, you must believe us," Kid spoke up.

"What was your purpose then? How did you come to be here?" Medusa asked.

"Untie us and then we'll tell you," Kid argued back. His heart pounded in his chest. He looked up at Lady Arachne, beseeching. He didn't think he would ever beg a witch but there was no other way. Her eyes trailed over them.

"Crona. Let them go."

She spoke finally and stepped down from her throne, approaching the floor. For a second Kid thought Crona might refuse, but the thorny vines loosened around his wrists and melted back into Crona. Black*Star immediately jumped to his feet, rushing over to where Tsubaki was slowly standing up. Patti was helping her big sister up while Soul nonchalantly brushed himself off. Maka was up and her gaze had landed squarely on Medusa. Her hands were clenched in her skirt and when Medusa put a hand on Crona's shoulder, Kid heard her growl.

"You've been untied, now tell me." She walked up to Kid. "How did you come here?"

Kid was aware of Medusa and Crona watching. With Crona looking healthier, he was made uncomfortably aware of their similarities to Medusa. The same heart-shaped face, the long legs and torso. Medusa, despite her scars, had lost none of her swagger and her clinical look was more than enough to make his skin prickle.

"Frankly, you did," Maka spoke for him. Arachne looked at her, dark hair fluttering when she whipped her head around.

"What?"

Maka squared her shoulders, glaring. "After your demise at the hands of the Kishin Asura, Baba Yaga was captured by DWMA forces. In its basement we found your collection of magical tools." With every word Maka spoke Arachne seemed to become paler and paler.

"Then there is only one that could have brought you here," she whispered.

"The Book of Eibon." Medusa crossed her arms in front of her.

Maka put her hands on her hips, glaring. "Now you answer one of our questions."

"You aren't in the position to make demands." Crona snapped right back. Arachne held a hand.

"Crona. Enough. What is your name?" She stared at Maka.

Maka tended to live between 'reckless' and 'ill thought out movement'. ' _But then again, that's where most meisters tend to live,'_ Kid thought to himself, grimacing slightly.

"Maka Albarn. Now you tell me: why are all of these humans here? Are you keeping them as slaves?" Her eyes strayed over to Medusa, who met her stare for stare.

Arachne frowned, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Slaves? No, we're protecting them."

"What? From who?" Maka looked back at Arachne.

Crona stepped around, in front of Maka, between her and Arachne.

"From you. From Death."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

For a moment, Kid's mind stopped in horror. Something had gripped his stomach and tied it into a cold hard knot.

"No. I don't believe you." His voice came out much calmer than he felt. Medusa let out a snort.

"So? It's the truth."

"We should just believe you? Take your word?" Maka hissed, hands clenched at her sides.

"Why shouldn't you? You wandered into our boundaries," Crona shot back, looming over Maka. "Maybe you _are_ another trick, come from Death, here to kill more children to feed your weapons! Maybe you're here to take our witches, to make stronger meisters! Maybe you're here to take-"

"Crona!" Arachne barked and Crona flinched back from where they had been in Maka's face. "They have already proven their innocence. They have nothing to do with our conflict with Death."

"Yeah, do you want to maybe, I dunno, elaborate on that?" Liz asked. Arachne gave her a passing glance. She sighed, looking every minute of her eight hundred years.

"I assume in your world weapons were created the same way, using humans and the transmutative abilities of witches?" the old witch asked.

"Yes. It was your experimenting that created them," Tsubaki said.

Arachne nodded, "Yes. I did. Using Eibon's notes." Her eyes trailed to the floor. "I went to Death with the results. At first he was pleased. He would supply the people with strong enough souls to wield the newly born weapons and together we would bring order to chaos. But even as we slowly refined and bred newer and more powerful weapons, Death slowly became obsessed with making them more powerful."

"And then you started killing witches?" Maka sneered.

"And then he murdered Morgana." Arachne said softly. "The first Grand Witch, and he took her soul with the rest of her sisters."

"The soul of a witch is a powerful thing." Medusa's soft voice seemed to slide along the shadows and walls of the room. Kid wanted to cover his ears, shout at her to stop. Maka's green eyes were huge in the candlelight, her face pale.

"He wouldn't." His voice came out as a whisper. Liz put a hand on his shoulder, her long manicured nails digging into his jacket.

"I was there." For the first time Arachne raised her voice. "He gutted her in the middle of Midnight Mass. Circe and I ran into the woods after him, and by the time we found Death he'd already fed her to the sword from the lake."

"Excalibur?" Black*Star's voice was horrified, though probably for an entirely different reason. "That annoying asshole was the first Death Scythe?"

"Not after Circe was finished with him." Medusa said darkly. "There wasn't much left." Kid felt Liz shudder.

"But Death told his newly made meisters that Circe had killed him unprovoked. He told them to start hunting witches."

"Malleus Maleficarum," Medusa added, seeing Maka about to open her mouth to dispute it. "It was sent to all of his meisters. Within a hundred years half of us were dead or running for our lives."

"This history lesson is boring," Black*Star snapped. "Tell us about what we're doing here and now." He stared at Arachne and then at Crona. "Tell us about the weapons," he demanded.

Soul shifted his weight, Patti stopped twisting her hands together and Liz moved closer to Kid. Tsubaki remained still as a statue, not even blinking as Arachne looked at her.

"It's been a long time since I've seen an unbranded weapon," the witch said. She touched the high collar of her dress, where the hollow of her throat was. "All weapons now wear that mark, Death's mark."

"All weapons must remain in their weapon form, for their own protection." Medusa's lip curled, distorting her scars even more. "Unless they are being fed, there is no reason for a weapon to look human."

Soul let out a quiet "Ugh." His red eyes were wide.

"W-we aren't allowed to be human?" Liz asked. They all jumped when there was a familiar crack and squish. Ragnarok forced his way out of Crona's back. He leaned over their head, keeping balance with one gloved hand on their shoulder.

"I was very young when Death's meisters came to our village. My parents kept me in my room all day and all night. But someone must have tipped them off." Ragnarok's face was perfectly immobile, and his voice seemed to echo from the center mass of his form. Kid had never before thought of how disturbing it was. Like some bizarre puppet, tilting his head back and forth, but never moving his jaw. "Someone broke in and started a fire while we slept. I was taken from my bed but my the last thing I ever saw of my home was it burning to the ground." His voice faltered and died.

Crona put their hand over Ragnarok's.

"Lady Arachne found Ragnarok after he ran from Death's meisters. He's been one of the only weapons we've managed to reclaim over the years. Others are taken in secret to Death City, or one of Death's other bases. Asia, Oceania, Europe, South America, Africa. He's spread through the whole world." Crona's other hand clenched at their side, and they never took their eyes off Kid, each word cutting into him.

"Lord Death would never do that. There's been a mistake. It must be Asura, or someone else." Kid replied, his voice keeping steady.

Arachne gave him a sad glance. "The kishin still roams free. What parts of the world that aren't controlled by Death are now uninhabitable because the Madness has spread too far. We abandoned our holdings in the Canadian Rockies because the humans were too susceptible to the wavelength."

"What happened?" Patti asked, leaning forward.

Arachne grimaced. "They- they started eating each other."

Liz gagged next to his ear and he even saw Soul shift uncomfortably. His stomach curled up, both in disgust and horror.

The kishin was free, terrorising whatever was left of humans.

His father hunted humans and witches, as a sport.

Liz and Patti, his friends, his partners, and they were-

"Slaves," Maka said. Her snappish tone had vanished and in its absence, it was a frighteningly empty voice. Her head was down, even her pigtails seemed to wilt. Soul went to wrap an arm around her then stopped, his hand halfway between them.

"Hey! Maka, Kid! Stop looking so damn depressed." Black*Star made them jump as he shouted. "So this world is full of assholes." He punched one fist into his palm. "They're running around and wearing out faces, why don't we do something about it? We should go and -"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Arachne interrupted. "We can't let you leave Baba Yaga. If Death were to find out you were here, the consequences could be terrible."

Black*Star scoffed. Crona whipped their head around, eyes narrowing. They stalked over to the ninja, face crumpling in anger.

"Do you think this is a joke? If Death realises you are here, and figures out where you are from, what do you think he'll do? Don't you think he'll realize there's another world out there to exploit?"

Black*Star squared his shoulders, eyes burning. "You know, for someone so powerful you sure are a-" Suddenly Crona had a spike of blood at his neck. They leaned in close, using their height as an advantage.

"Crona!" Arachne barked, her hoarse voice faltering. Medusa watched clinically, her head tilted.

"Powerful, am I? Strong? Is that what you want, assassin? Is that how you felt when you gutted Angela in front of us all? When you forced her soul down your weapon's throat and Mifune's soul after? Did it make you feel strong?" Crona snarled.

Black*Star stared at them for a moment, mouth still halfway open. Tsubaki stood behind her meister, close enough to transform if that spear of black blood came any closer.

"That's enough, Crona," Medusa said quietly. Slowly Crona drew the black blood back into their veins and stepped back. They were shaking, but it was different from the way Kid's Crona shook. Not in fear or from nervousness but from anger.

"I-I killed him?" Black*Star asked. Kid was alarmed to hear the stutter in his voice. "A-and Angela?"

Medusa sighed. "Yes. It was only a year ago." She put a hand on Crona's back, as a comfort. Kid could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up. It was simply wrong, to see Medusa acting so motherly.

"She was so young." Arachne added, sitting back down in her throne. "Witches do not have very many children. Angela was the only one in the past fifty years."

"Then what does that make you, Crona?" Maka asked. Her eyes flickered up to Medusa in suspicion.

"Crona is a half-witch, with low grade magical powers," Medusa answered.

"And the blood?" Maka pressed.

"Ragnarok and Crona volunteered to be merged. We used magic to remove Ragnarok's physical body and slowly replaced Crona's blood with Ragnarok via infusion," Medusa explained. "The meisters were getting stronger and we needed an answer."

Maka's lip curled, and her eyes sparked. "So you used your child?" she demanded.

"I volunteered. We knew I wasn't going to have much magic, and now even my soul is useless to Death." Crona held their head high. "They only eat the souls of humans and witches. Now, I'm neither." They sounded so proud of that, the fact they had mutated their own soul. Kid's heart both expanded and clenched at the thought. His Crona was forever apologising for what they were, what they had been forced to become.

"Wait, you said half-witch. Who's your fa-" Liz started. Medusa cut her off.

"A meister. A very powerful one."

Liz eyed the witch. "You slept with a meister? Even with the whole, you know, being hunted and slaughtered thing?"

Her gold eye was so cold that the room seemed to freeze. "I was undercover at the school. In order to keep up appearances, I did what I needed to."

"Is that why you're missing an eye? You got caught? We knew a guy in Jersey who used to cut off your thumb up to the first knuckle if he found out you stole from him," Patti asked. Liz nodded with her sister. Medusa's answering grin was unpleasant to look at.

"Yes. I was caught. I'd probably be dead or still in Death City if Blair hadn't-"

Soul looked startled. "Blair? The magic cat Blair?"

"Yes. She helped me escape from Death City."

Maka swallowed, swaying slightly on her feet. "W-what happen to her?"

Medusa gave her a pitying glance. "You won't like it."

"Just tell me!" Maka snapped at her, hands fisting in her skirt.

"Your double made her weapon eat Blair's souls. All nine of them." Medusa dropped the fact bluntly into Maka, who reeled back.

"B-blair's d-dead?" Soul stuttered out. "But she's a magic cat! Her soul won't work to make a death scythe, why would she need to be dead?"

"What's a death scythe?" Medusa cocked her head. "Many weapons have multiple witch souls, it simply make them more powerful. The shape and form don't matter, so long as it has magic in it. By eating all nine souls, your counterpart has become supremely powerful."

Maka put her face in her hands, leaning closer to Soul.

"The three of you are the most powerful meisters that Death lets out of the city right now." Crona told them tonelessly, turning away. "That's how I recognized you in the woods. I thought it might have been another raid coming for Baba Yaga."

"That's why we can't let you leave here. It's too dangerous for you to wander around and run the risk of running into your doubles from this world," Arachne said softly. "I'm sorry."

"Then how do you suggest we leave? We can't stay here, clearly." Kid stood up straighter and met the witch's eye. "Unless you plan to keep us forcibly."

Arachne smirked. "I wouldn't dream of it. I still have the Book of Eibon. It will take several powerful spellcasters to get you back to your world, but once Shaula gets back from her mission, we," she waved her hand between Medusa and herself, "will be able to send you back."

"Who the hell is Shaula?" Black*Star interrupted.

"Our little sister."

"You mean there's three of you?" Soul asked flatly. Medusa rolled her eye.

"Unfortunately."

Maka rubbed her cheeks roughly and looked back up at the spider witch. "Why do we have to wait for her? Isn't there another witch who can do it?"

Arachne shook her head, the long black braid swinging like a noose. "No. We're what remains of the great old witch families. If another witch did it, you would only end up being sent elsewhere. Medusa and I might be able to do it ourselves, but our magic is already fortifying Baba Yaga."

"What do you mean fortifying? Is that why there are no guards outside?" That sounded a bit like what Lord Death had done to Death City. Were witches capable of using their souls in a similar manner?

"Yes. As long as we remain in Baba Yaga, our magic ensures only people who have been given permission to enter can do so. Our magic is bound to it, in a way."

"Of course, the catch is that it take an enormous amount of magical energy to keep it protected. And with no other witches with enough power to do so the duty falls to us," Medusa drawled. She waved a hand around at the darken chambers. "What's left of witches and humans, being protected by a thin shield of Gorgon magic."

"Why don't you fight back? Why are you just sitting here in the dark being picked off one by one?" Maka blurted out.

Medusa laughed. "You think we haven't? Why do you think I was in Death City? For fun? Oh no, we've been trying for years to develop ways to undermine Death. It would be my greatest pleasure to tear apart his meisters."

"Medusa." Arachne glared. "We have a duty to protect what's left of the humans, and to try and survive. Not all of our witches are young enough to fight. And humans aren't any match for meisters, not unless they've already become kishin."

"So when is this Shaula suppose to be back?" Liz asked. "We want to get back to our world as much as you want us to leave." She shuddered and muttered, "This place gives me the creeps anyway."

"My sister has been out spying on Death City. It's been a week so she should be heading back, either today or tomorrow." Arachne inclined her head. "I can have Eruka give you a guest room and food, if you're hungry."

"Now you're talkin', lady." Black*Star grinned. "I'm done with all this alternate universe stuff anyway. Who cares about what's happening to a different world? Unless it's mine, that is," he added.

"Thank you, Lady Arachne." Tsubaki bowed her head politely. "That is very generous of you."

The witch nodded back and pulled one of the webs next to her throne. In the distance, Kid could hear a bell tinkle. Within a minute Eruka Frog reappeared. Her eyes widened, seeing them still standing in front of Arachne's throne.

"Eruka, please take them to the nearest empty rooms. Give them whatever cold we have in our pantries still. And let me know the moment Shaula crosses back into our territory."

"Yes, Lady Arachne." The frog witch nodded, then gestured for them to follow her.

"Crona. Stay here. I have more to discuss with you." Arachne leaned back in her throne. Crona cast one more look at the group from the DWMA and turned their blue eyes back to their aunt.

"Yes, Aunt Arachne."

Before Medusa could usher them out the door, however, the various bells that hung from Arachne's webs started ringing furiously. Crona whipped around, eyes large. Eruka's face was pale and Kid could see her hands shaking. From outside the throne room, Kid could also hear people starting to scream.

"What's that? What's wrong?" Maka demanded, running back up to the spider witch.

Arachne was getting back up with some difficulty. "It means we are being attacked. Right now. Crona, get outside. You too Eruka. Medusa, anyone who is capable of fighting should be getting ready to face Death's forces," she ordered. "We'll need to reinforce the spacial magic for the castle. Eruka, where is Free?"

"He's up in the eighth tower. If the alarms are still functioning, he will have heard them."

Arachne nodded and with Crona and Medusa flanking her, she started walking out. Almost like she had forgotten they were there, the witch looked at the DWMA kids.

"Stay inside the castle. The last thing we need is your doppelgangers to see you here," she snapped, then marched out the door with Crona and Medusa on her heels. Medusa shut the door and they heard the click echo in the cavernous room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Kid's mind spun with the practical sensory overload. Different world, different Death, different Crona. He was different. It was difficult for him to understand. Being around so much magic made his skin tingle and the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

He didn't like it. Any of it. Maka seemed to share his feelings, an immense frown all over her face.

They had achieved their goals, it seemed, the souls of witches and enough power for death scythes, but at what cost?

Kid looked at Liz and Patti and tried to imagine keeping them subdued, using them as his tools. It repulsed him, the very idea. It was a betrayal to every philosophy behind the weapon and meister dynamic. The entire point was to find another person to trust to fight with you, not for you.

There was a headache building in his temples.

"Are we really just going to stand here?" Soul broke the silence. He looked around the room. "It looks like all the action is going on outside right now."

"Yeah, what are we doing just standing here?" Black*Star shouted. "We should be out there, getting even with whoever is pretending to be us."

Liz held up her hands, a plea for momentary sanity. "Whoa, whoa whoa. She _literally_ just told us to stay here. I'm pretty sure she and the other witches can handle it. You've seen Medusa fight! They'll be f-" She was cut off when Maka marched back up to the door and kicked it open. The frame splintered, sending the door exploding outward.

"I'm going after Crona. You guys can stay or come with me." With that she ran out into the dim hallways.

Soul sighed in irritation, slouching deeper for a moment. "Ugh. She never thinks it though," he muttered, before going after her. Black*Star grinned at Kid and he ran out of the room with Tsubaki following. Kid turned around to look at Liz and Patti.

"Well?" He held out his hands. Liz sighed dramatically but Patti grinned and turned into a gun. Liz rolled her eyes, and followed suit. Kid chased after Maka and Black*Star. They were stopped at the tunnel that led to the outside.

"It's locked. Kicking isn't helping this time," Soul informed them. Kid looked around the room. Most of the witches and humans had moved to different parts of the castle. Only a few were left, casting protection spells over the floor. The feeling of magic kept getting heavier, like the atmosphere was increasing in pressure.

"Hurry, up to one of the higher floors." Kid spotted a large window that was still mostly unbarricaded. Rushing over to the barely-there stairs, they climbed the stone steps quickly.

Black*Star started prying the wooden boards off the window immediately, sending one after the other to the floor. When it was finally uncovered they looked out over the west of the castle.

"Can you guys make that jump?" Kid asked, looking at the ground. Black*Star laughed and punched him in the shoulder.

"I can't believe you still ask that, Kid." He looked over at Tsubaki, and she nodded, transforming. With a shout, Black*Star jumped out the window. "Let's go show them who the real star is!" Soul transformed and Maka grabbed him. Her face was set into grim lines of determination.

"Maka, just remember, this isn't our Crona," Kid muttered, feeling his stomach curl at the reminder. She shot him an angry look.

"I know that. But it is Crona. They might not know us, but I know them."

She lept out the window as well, using Soul to control her descent. Kid sighed and used Beelzebub to follow. The first thing he saw was:

Himself.

Kid felt as if his lungs had been compressed, squeezing out the air in his chest. The most shocking thing was that he, the other him, didn't look any different. The same suit, the pin of his Father's mask, the white stripes. Other Kid face was set into perfect marble stillness, emotionless.

Was that what others saw when they looked at Kid, an impartial and cold god?

The other Kid was firing casually at Crona, whose wings were back out and guarding from the shots, whilst also fighting Maka. The other Maka.

"Aw, baby, don't be mean!" She cackled. "Come here, Crona, I know you like my hugs. Or, you know what's better," Maka lunged forward, swinging with Soul, the blade of the scythe looking tarnished and stained, "Let me bite your neck again! I know you liked it, Crona!" She giggled again, the scythe in her hand going wildly in every direction.

There was a red and black blur to his right and Kid turned just in time to see the real Maka charging up from behind.

"Crona, get down!" She shouted, launching herself over the other meister. Crona looked over their shoulder in surprise, blue eyes wide, before they ducked down onto one knee, letting Maka fly over them. Maka punched her stunned doppelganger in the face.

"KId, you going to join us or just keep standing there?" Black*Star shouted, dueling with some meisters from the NOT class. Kid nodded and dropped down to start firing at the other him.

"This is fucking weird, Kid," Liz said. "It's like we're having trouble hitting you. I mean him."

It was true, the shots seemed to keep curving just past the other Kid's head.

"It's his wavelength, it's protecting him," Kid replied after considering the problem. "You're so familiar with mine that even when it's corrupted you're subconsciously missing me. Weapons protect their meisters." Or at least that was how it should have been. The other Kid didn't seem to be having the issue, and he had to concentrate on avoiding the other weapons' shots. He risked looking over at Maka and Crona.

They were fighting back to back, Crona's ragged wings still out and quivering. It was a position they had done many times in sparring practice, each protecting the other. This Crona kept checking over their shoulder, frowning. Maka didn't seem to notice, all of her attention focused on the other her.

Even at a distance, Kid could see that this world's Maka and Soul weren't resonating properly. Soul's soul seemed more brittle even though it was more potent due to the over consumption of magic souls. Maka's Soul ground against it and seemed to be over-exaggerating her fighting moves because of it. Her scythe spinning went wild, her turns always a little longer than they were supposed to be. This was clearly infuriating to the real Maka, whose own fighting became messier as a consequence. Snarling, she finally forced Soul against her counterparts. When the two blades connected, there was the horrible sound of the blades grinding, and what sounded like screaming came from other Maka's weapon. She nearly dropped it in surprise, then her teeth pulled back in a terrible false smile.

"Soul, darling, what have I told you about making noise?" she snarled, then pushed back. There was a flash of bright light and both scythe meisters were thrown backwards, their Maka taking Crona down with her. For a moment people stood, stunned. Other-Maka laid on her back, dazed by the blow.

"What the hell was that?" Black*Star asked.

"Our wavelengths are canceling each other's out. We need to switch!" Maka called, helping Crona up.

"I'll take care of Albarn. Go," Crona snapped, steering Maka toward the NOT students.

"Dibs on Kid!" Black*Star called out.

"Fine. Where are you?" Kid dodged another hail of bullets. Black*Star looked down at himself then back up.

"Right here?"

"The other you, Black*Star," Tsubaki reminded him.

"Oh that asshole? No idea. Don't care, good luck though." he sprinted past Kid, Tsubaki transforming into a ninja short sword. KId sighed in exasperation, then eyed the rest of the raiding party. Most were students he recognized from the EAT class. ' _Here to collect their bounty,_ ' Kid thought to himself. It was possible that since Black*Star's double already had his witch's soul he hadn't joined this raiding party. Just as the thought finished, a flash of black caught Kid's eye. He raised Liz and Patti in readiness.

If he wasn't a reaper, Kid never would have sensed the soul wave attack, but just in time he twisted under the ninja's arm length, whipping around to shoot him in the face. One angry star-shaped pupil glared back.

The other Black*Star flipped backwards, just over Kid's shot. His soul wavelength crackled around his clenched fist as he ran forward to attack again. His face was covered in a black scarf and his black clothing now covered him from neck to ankle, blending with the shadows of the bent trees. Kid went right, slipping away again and shooting upwards, aiming for central mass. Tsubaki's blade came within an inch of his nose. The ninja backed up again, face unreadable from behind the scarf.

This was unnerving. Kid was so used to bantering with Black*Star during their sparring it was nearly habitual. This absolute silence was one of the creepiest things Kid had seen so far.

"Kid! Look at Tsubaki's blade. It's red," Liz pointed out.

She was right. It was an angry, searing red as if it had been stuck into a fire to be heated. He had never seen a weapon turn that color before, didn't even know it was possible. Then Kid realised why.

The chain scythe was vibrating so hard she made Black*Star's arm shake and the ninja had to actively clench the muscles in his arm to stop it from trembling.

Tsubaki was fighting her meister so hard that her blade was red. The only thing keeping them resonating was the way Black*Star kept his wavelength wrapped around her's like a pair of handcuffs.

"That's why he's using his soul wavelength. Tsubaki is missing - on purpose!" Kid dodged again. From behind him he could heard the ringing of metal on metal and the sounds of shots being fired. The tree line was partially obscuring everyone, and Kid could only get glimpses of the castle as they fought further and further away. Crona was still dueling the alternate Maka a little away from them, using their multiple blade technique again. They spun around Maka, Ragnarok gliding through the air, and hit Soul's staff as she blocked.

Kid let off several quick rounds into Black*Star, then sprinted forward, kicking the assassin in the chest. Black*Star stumbled, then using his wavelength he forced Tsubaki into smoke bomb mode. Kid could just see his mouth tip into a very unpleasant grin before he dropped it at their feet. The entire forest seemed to be smothered under a thick layer of greyish-brown smoke.

Kid coughed and his eyes watered, even as he looked through the area, trying to see where his opponent.

"Shit he's fast. I guess he's a better ninja in this world, huh?" Patti said.

He reluctantly agreed, then realized the entire forest had become eerily quiet. Not even the sounds of the other him shooting could be heard.

"Kid? Is that you?" Maka called, her figure just visible through the fog.

"It's me. The real me. Where's Crona?"

"I don't know. One moment I was fighting Anya and Meme and the next the entire forest is covered in this." She was finally close enough to see. Kid studied her closely, trying to verify it was actually Maka. The white gloves and annoyed look solidified it.

"The other Black*Star used a smoke bomb. I don't know where he is now," Kid confessed, dropping his shoulders slightly. Before Maka could speak, however, there was a terrified scream from behind them. They both whipped around to look back at the castle.

The smoke was slowly dissipating, weak sunlight showing through. Kid could see the real Black*Star's shape splayed out on the ground, Tsubaki crouching over him protectively. Closer to the castle were the three girls from the NOT class, slowly circling a downed figure. As he and Maka approached he realised it was Eruka on her knees, clutching a broken arm. Meme grabbed the witch, pulling her head down by her hair, causing another pained screech.

"Eruka!" A voice bellowed from the top of castle, so loud birds took flight from the tops of the trees. Kid looked up and realized the immortal wolfman was on top of one of the legs of the spider, staring down in horror.

It happened very quickly. One moment Anya was rearing back with her weapon, a halberd, the next Eruka was slumped down in the grass, her shiny platinum silver hair stained with blood. Maka stood frozen in her tracks beside him eyes wide as Anya let out a girlish giggle, watching the witch's body melt away into the ground, leaving the soul behind.

Several people screamed, and the wolfman howled, a primal animal sound of pain. Crona ran through the trees, blue eyes burning furiously. The other Maka jumped them from behind, taking them both into the dirt.

"Oh lovey, it's okay. At least it was quick and not like Blair's. She fought for every single one of her nine souls." The other Maka pinned Crona to the ground, her hand digging into Crona's hair and forcing their face up from the grass to watch.

Meme held the halberd, Tsugumi, while Anya used her wavelength to make her transform.

"Oh Death, Tsugumi," Maka whispered to herself, too shocked to move. Kid knew she saw herself as a kind of mentor to the underclassman. The girl's eyes were blackened and her nose crooked. Her black hair was cut short and she struggled while Meme gradually forced her mouth open.

"Don't bite. This is for your own good." Anya tutted, then quickly forced Eruka's soul into her mouth. Meme held her jaw closed while the weapon struggled not to choke around the soul. Anya frowned and daintily held her nose shut.

"Swallow."

Kid could see the moment the weapon complied, her shoulders drooping.

"Good. Back to weapon mode please." The blonde asked sweetly. Kid shuddered. The halberd dropped into Meme's hands with a definitive thud.

"Maka-sempai, are we almost done?" Anya asked, looking over at Maka who was still straddling Crona. Maka sprang up and started running towards the castle.

"Nearly. Are you two idiots done?" She called up, dodging Crona's wild swings.

Kid tugged on the real Maka's sweater. "We have to go. We need to help." He could see the shock engraved on every part of her face. She shook her head, ash blonde pigtails swinging.

"You cover Black*Star. I'm going after Crona and that bitch wearing my face," she growled, chasing the pair back towards the castle.

Patti whistled. "Wow. She's pissed. This is gonna be great."

Kid frowned. "Is this really the time for that?" He started over to where Black*Star was getting up from the ground. Tsubaki pulled him up to stand.

"What happened?"

Black*Star growled. "Other you is a prick. He gunned me into the ground then ran off like only a truly little man would do. He clearly doesn't know the kind of big man he's messing with because now I'm going to kick his ass." The assassin eyed Kid. "You? Did other me pulverise you?"

"He used a smoke bomb to escape. He's certainly less loud." Kid gestured to the castle. "We need to go help-"

"The barrier!" Tsubaki gasped, pointing at the castle. Kid turned in time to see the thin green haze of magic disintegrate. At once the other him was flying up to one of the balconies, while Black*Star scuttled up the wall.

Crona realised what they were after first, screaming "No!" and flying after the other Kid. Or they tried to. The other Maka caught the edge of their leg with Soul, slicing into it, and black blood splattered down onto her face. Crona screeched and dropped back to the ground in surprise and pain.

Kid cursed and summoned Beelzebub, chasing after his counterpart. There was a sickening crack and the other him appeared back out on the balcony with Arachne slung over his shoulders. His duplicate's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he raised his weapons to shoot. Then he winced in pain. One of Medusa's snakes hung onto his leg, needle sharp teeth digging into his flesh.

"Excuse me. That's not very polite, little boy. Didn't your father ever teach you gentlemen not to hit ladies? I think I'm going to have to punish you." She smirked, snake eye glinting. "That's going to be a lot of fun."

Kid never thought the day would come when he would be a little impressed by Medusa. He smirked a little, raising his own weapons.

"Ready?"

"Black needle soul resonance in three,"

"Two,"

"On-!"

Kid had forgotten about Black*Star. The wavelength was stronger than he had thought it was going to be and every muscle in his body seized in pain. His fingers flexed on the triggers and even though it was too early for a full resonance Kid could feel the power pouring out through Liz and Patti. He watched in helpless horror as the his double ducked with Arachne and the shot went straight into Medusa. Kid could feel a chain wrap around his ankle and tug, hard.

When he was young Kid had fallen from Beelzebub once or twice but had quickly learned how to control it so he never hit the ground. He could hear Liz and Patti scream as they plummeted toward the ground.

"Beelzebub," Kid grit out, his muscles still uncooperative from the seizure. The board appeared out of his hand again and he gripped it, now swirling lazily towards the ground like a dead leaf.

"Mother!" He heard Crona scream and looked back up at the balcony. Black*Star grabbed Medusa's now limp body and slid down the castle wall.

"Okay, this has been fun but we really need to go home, lovey. Bye bye, Crona." Maka skipped off into the woods laughing, and followed by Anya and Meme.

"Get back here!" the real Maka screamed, running after her.

Crona stood there, stunned. For the tiniest moment Kid saw tears rise in their blue eyes, and a tell-tale black blush started over their face. His heart ached to hold Crona, to stop their tears, to go back and do it over. Within seconds though it was gone and a hard angry mask was in its place.

"Stop! You'll never catch them on foot," they called to Maka.

"They have Medusa, and Arachne! How the hell are we supposed to get home?" Black*Star shouted at Crona.

"I don't know! But right now we have to attend to our wounded and mourn our dead." As if on cue the werewolf started howling. Over and over his keening wail went over the castle. Crona shut their eyes, face crumpling. Then they took a deep breath and looked at them.

"We need to re-fortify Baba Yaga. Now that we don't even have our magic protecting us we need to stay alert. If they come back, we're all dead. Now either help or stay out of my way."

They wheeled around on their heel, limping back towards Baba Yaga.

"We won't get home if we leave now," Tsubaki pointed out as they watched Crona get further and further away. "We need to stay." She sounded so sure that even Black*Star nodded along with her. Kid let go of Liz and Patti and let them transform back into humans. Liz shivered as a biting wind whistled through the trees. Free's heartbroken howls resounded again and again.

Kid squared his shoulders and started after Crona.

What else could they do?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Ugh." Liz flopped down on one of the borrowed beds in the room. Patti collapsed on top of her, earning a grunt from big sister. "P-Patti, you're too heavy to lay on me like that now," Liz gasped.

Patti huffed but flopped over so she was still curled on the bed and grabbed the blanket, pulling it over her.

"Is she going to sleep?" Black*Star asked incredulously. He limped into the room with Tsubaki.

Kid sighed and took a seat on the bed in the middle of the room. "Yes. Yes she is."

"Can't blame her," Soul groused, falling into his own bed, then yelping when a mouse fell to the floor and scurried away under the door.

After hours of helping what witches remained move the stone blocks in front of the doors and re-board the windows of the castle, Crona had finally let them eat and showed them to a room where they could sleep. The yellow moon now shone through the only small window in the tower room.

"Crona's a real slave driver when they want to be, huh?" Black*Star remarked, heedless of Maka walking into the room. The blonde meister stiffened at the comment, but instead of snapping back she seemed to simply sag instead, walking over to Soul's bed and sitting on the end of it quietly.

"They aren't. Crona wants to protect what's left of their home. Any of us would do the same for Death City," Kid pointed out. The shame of letting the other Black*Star get away with Medusa still prickled along the back of his neck. Crona hadn't looked any of them in the eye for very long, and only spoke to deliver directions. They'd been forced into a reluctant alliance with people they couldn't trust and Kid was uncomfortably reminded of his feelings when Crona had joined them at the DWMA.

He had been vocal about his feelings of simply letting a witch's child live in his father's school. Kid regretted it now, as Crona had become more open about what Medusa was like and what they had been forced to do. His feelings of hostility slowly melted into pity, then turned into admiration for the strength of their soul. Not many people would have been able to resist a witch with power like Medusa's for so long.

"We would," Tsubaki agreed readily. She rubbed her temple with one hand, the other still on Black*Star's shoulder. "I think we can all agree after seeing the other us today, Crona has a good reason to distrust us."

"Yeah," Liz said softly, stroking Patti hair and brushing it away from her face.

Maka shivered and pulled her legs up to her chest. "They hate us," she whispered despondently. "I-I don't-" Soul wrapped an arm around his partner.  
"They don't hate us. _This_ Crona doesn't know us," he said fiercely. "This isn't our Crona, Maka. Don't forget."

"I don't think our Crona could hate," Kid said out loud, looking out the window. It was fairly wide across and the boards holding it down had been ripped out for more vital portions of the castle. The view over the dark forest was impressive, the trees blending together into one big lake of shadows under the yellow moon. There was a space at the top where the glass had been knocked out and the occasional gust of wind blew through it. Somewhere, Kid could hear Free still howling his grief.

Maka forced a smile. "Yeah. I just- They look so close to being the same. I keep forgetting," she finished softly. Kid nodded sympathetically.

"Well it seems like all our counterparts in this world look like us." Maka tilted her head. Black*Star huffed.

"Speak for yourself. I look wayyyy better than that loser. He looks like some anime ripoff." Soul rolled his eyes and even Tsubaki bit her lip to stop her smile.

"Yes, of course Black*Star." Then she frowned. "The blade though, of the chain scythe…" Her soft voice trailed off.

"It was red," Kid finished for her. She nodded. "I think it was because you were fighting Black*Star." Her eyes darkened but she nodded again.

"That's what I thought."

"None of us were resonating properly," Soul said. "When you pinned me against the, uh, other me, I saw-" he falter then sighed and continued. "It was me. He looked terrible, I mean like really bad."

"He screamed." Maka said. Soul nodded his head.

"Y-yeah."

"We don't belong here," Tsubaki said softly. She shook her head, ponytail waving back and forth. "We shouldn't have come." An uneasy silence settled over the room, everyone looking away from each other.

"We all need sleep. Crona will want to have a plan for getting Medusa and Arachne back tomorrow," she finished.

Soul huffed. "I can't believe we're going to go and try to help rescue Medusa." Maka frowned.

"She's not the real Medusa. She's like a watered down version."

Kid shook his head. "No. She's still Medusa. But her circumstances are different. She's been forced into playing nicely with everyone."

Soul rolled his eyes, and yawned. "Real, not real whatever. She's a damn good impression, and it's fucking creepy, okay. Also, did anyone else know there were three Gorgons?" he demanded.

"Remind me to make sure the last one is gone when we get back home," Maka muttered sleepily, pulling off her boots.

The stones didn't hold the day's heat very well and with the occasional burst of chilly air sneaking through the cracks it was very cold very soon in the room. Free's howls rebounded through the lonely castle, a constant reminder of what had been lost. Crona had instructed everyone to let him be, to let him mourn the last member of his family.

Meisters and weapons curled together on the beds. From where Kid sat on the bed in the middle, he could see Liz and Patti sleeping under the blankets. As a rule, Kid didn't really need sleep. It was a luxury, and one Kid enjoyed. But outside of his home and in such dangerous territory, he knew he wouldn't be able to go to bed anyways. His mind was awake, and noisy. Every so often a shiver would run through him, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up and his hands tremble. In short, Kid was afraid.

What had his father become? What was Kid?

He remember the cold and uncaring look in his other self's eyes, firing carelessly.

How could have Kid become that? He knew his friends occasionally found him manic for his preoccupation with symmetry but it was to care about something, rather than to become this version who didn't seem to care at all. Or was it? Was this a better world for him, because Kid could no longer care about balance and only about control?

He thought about Crona's face when he had failed to save Medusa. The lightning fast look of utter hopelessness. Something Kid loved about a was their hope, the iron core at the center of their soul that always kept them looking for the next sunrise. It destroyed him to think this world would erode it away.

Kid shivered as another howl went over the castle. It seemed loud enough to shake the very moon. The thick glass in the window shivered and Kid watched as one pane developed a spider web crack in it.

"...-narok. I just can't be-"

Kid froze as Crona's voice filtered through. Creeping over to the window he could hear the voice floating down from the rooms above.

"...-asn't his fault. You saw he was trying to help," Ragnarok responded.

"Yes, and I understand that, but now Aunt Arachne is gone, Shaula is gone, and mother is-" Footsteps carried away from the window and Crona's voice faded off.

His stomach twisted into a knot.

They blamed him. Kid had known they would but it didn't stop the hurt. The feeling of betrayal. Kid shook his head. That was ridiculous, he couldn't feel betrayed, because this wasn't his Crona, so there was nothing to betray.

Kid looked over his shoulder, the room still and quiet except the sound Patti and and Black*Star snoring. Then he poked his head back out the broken window, cold wind blowing through his hair.

Climbing out the window, Kid grasped the jutting and broken stones, climbing the wall. This was a familiar scene, Kid thought as he climbed. Him, sneaking out to be with Crona.

The next balcony was barely ten feet from their window and Kid swung himself onto it, looking into what seemed to be an empty room. Before he could scan it with his soul perception, there was a quiet hiss in his ear.

"Hasn't anyone told you it's not polite to enter without permission?" Kid started when there was the cool kiss of a blade to his neck.

"Trust me, I've heard it more than enough from my partners," he said. This was true, Kid had had more than enough boots thrown at him from entering a room without knocking. "May I talk to you, please, Crona?" He turned enough to see the edge of their face, the down turned lips and hard blue eyes.

Slowly they withdrew the blade of black blood, backing up into the sparse room. As Kid looked around, he saw it actually looked quite a lot like Crona's room under the DWMA. One bed, one desk and a small bookcase shoved against the wall.

"Sit down." Crona nodded to the bed, standing across from it. "What do you have to say?"

"I want to offer my sincere apologies about what happened today. It wasn't my intention to hit Medusa, I promise," he started. Crona snorted.

"At least I know for sure you aren't working together anymore. The look of surprise on your face after that assassin used his wavelength on you was clear."

Kid frowned, a pale red blush climbing up the back of his neck.

"Yes, well. Still, I am sorry. I don't think any of us knew the true extent of what you were going through until we saw it."

Crona looked away. "Well, now you have more than enough evidence. Is it everything you hoped it would be, reaper?" The uncharacteristic bitterness in their voice made Kid wince. It made his hackles rise, and he wanted to snap back this wasn't his fault.

' _But it is. You chose to come, and you failed to save Medusa. It is. You failed Crona._ ' His mind reminded him.

"My name is Kid," he said softly, instead.

Crona stared. Their eyes were always so so blue in the moonlight. He held out his hand, bending slightly at the waist. "We've never been properly introduced, in this world at least." Their eyes slid from his hand to face and back again. Very slowly they held out their hand and grasped Kid's, shaking it hesitantly. After they were done Kid immediately held up the other hand to shake as well. Crona cocked their head.

"It has to be both." Kid insisted.

"Is it customary from where you come from?" Crona asked. Kid shook his head.

"It is for me." Still looking confused, Crona shook the other one as well. He smiled as he sat in the middle of the their bed.

"I also wanted to extend my condolences on losing Eruka. She didn't deserve to die like that." Crona turned away and Kid saw their hand clench.

"At least they didn't play with her." They echoed the mocking statement from the other Maka. "It could have been worse. I've seen them do worse." Kid shivered.

"You think they'll do that to Arachne and Medusa?"

Crona whipped around, furious. "Yes! They're doing it right now. Two of the last witches from the great powerful families? They're probably being stripped away layer by layer." Kid winced.

"But they're both strong. They'll live until we can rescue them," he insisted.

Crona's eyes widened incredulously. "' _We'_?"

"I want to extend my," he shook his head, " _our_ , help in getting your family back." Kid gestured to the floor underneath them. Maka would insist anyway, and go even if she wasn't invited. But Kid didn't feel the need to inform Crona of that small fact.

"This world isn't your problem. You don't have to ally yourself with me and get into more trouble. I can do it myself," Crona insisted.

"You're forgetting, it became our problem the moment we got here. And it's our issue to solve until we go back too." Kid shook his head. "Besides, even if it is a little different, you are our friend, Crona. And our ally back home. We won't forget that here." Crona shook their head, mouth twisting bitterly.

"Arachne once told me that she and Death were allies, united together for a common purpose. Witches and meisters could never be allies. It's not meant to be."

Kid frowned. "We could, if we were still fighting for the same thing. Back in our universe, you're our friend and ally. And here, even though you might not believe us, we're going to be the same for you."

For the first time since they'd seen each other Crona smiled. It was a small and misshapen thing, but they smiled at Kid. He could feel his heart pound and the blood rush to his cheeks.

"Thank you." Crona sounded sincere. For a moment the only sound in the room was Free's despairing howls. Crona's smile melted and the cold and hard look was back. "Go back to your room. You'll need rest for tomorrow."

Kid walked back over to the balcony, sensing Crona's eyes on him. Before he slipped over the low wall he turned and looked at them.

"Please don't forget what I've said, Crona. We're here for you, whether or not you like it," Kid whispered, before climbing over. Crona's blue eyes never left his face, their expression unreadable.

~x~x~

It was a long and cold night and no one was happy when they woke up. After the hours of listening to Free's howls, the silence in the air was unnerving.

"Wow Liz, you look awful," Black*Star complimented as they were walking down to Arachne's throne room. Liz gave him a look so brutal that even Patti winced. Black*Star didn't even flinch as she growled.

"Come on. Crona wanted to see us first thing." Maka marched ahead of them, running her fingers through her hair and putting it back into neat pigtails. Soul yawned, pointed teeth glinting.

"Better hope they have the some food," he muttered.

The room was better lit than yesterday, more candles lit on the interior. Crona stood over one of the tables, Ragnarok hanging over their shoulder.

"Crona?" Maka slowly walked up behind them, trying to see what they were looking at.

"It's a map." They moved over to let the rest of the group see. It was yellowing and showed symbols of a bunch of magic circles trailing up the north and south american continents. "A long time ago Arachne set up a series of portals up the continent. One of them was outside of Death's city." They pointed to the middle of north america. "It's farther out but it's faster than anything else. The closest one to the city is five hours away. It will probably take me about a day to get there, get Arachne and Medusa and come back."

"Just you?" Liz asked, looking over at Crona curiously.

"I'm the youngest magic user still alive in Baba Yaga. It has to be me. No one else will be able to go to Death's city and get back quickly enough." Crona stared down at the map laid out on the table, mouth in a soft frown.

Maka immediately piped up. "You aren't going alone. We're coming with you, Crona."

Crona slowly raised their eyes to look at Maka. They scrutinized her for a long moment, silently staring at her face. Their eyes left her for just a moment to flick over to Kid, then back to her.

Finally Crona sighed.

"We're leaving in an hour."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Crona's eyes itched. They turned another page in the yellowing library book and ignored the itch. Crona, over their life, had become very good at ignoring being uncomfortable. Maka said it wasn't good, but occasionally Crona thought it was a useful skill. The light from the lamps was dimmer than when Crona had started and the letters seemed to move on the page.

Their hand shook with the urge to claw it down the paper to make it stop. Instead Crona took a deep breath and clenched it to their side. Closing their eyes, Crona rubbed the fist into each eye, then opened them again. Tiny spots had appeared in their vision but the letters stopped moving around.

Crona had been in the library since the morning. After the others had disappeared into the green flame, Stein had Sid haul Eruka back down to the cells and then reported to Lord Death what had happened. Naturally the reaper had immediately begun to suspect that Eruka had done something to purposely disrupt the ceremony. They weren't positive that was the case but until Crona had another answer the suspicion was aimed at the frog witch.

Crona's memories of Eruka working for Medusa were like a scratched record. Parts were still playable but not everything was there and Crona couldn't exactly say what was real and what wasn't. Ragnarok didn't help either, simply mocking Crona for forgetting. But Crona couldn't remember Eruka being exceptionally cruel to Crona, except for when they had made Ms. Marie drink the snake, then they deserved it.

They simply didn't think that Eruka had meant to mess up the ceremony. It didn't… feel right. Maka had talked a lot about Crona trusting themself, to do what they thought was right. She called it 'instinct'.

Crona didn't think they should be trusted, but they'd try for Maka. So Crona had stutteringly asked Lord Death if they could help. To try and find Kid and other others.

The mask frightened Crona. The blank eyes that Crona could never tell were happy or mad. At least with Medusa, Crona always knew that they were a disappointment. With Lord Death, Crona couldn't tell at all. It was part of the reason Crona had asked Kid not to tell. If Lord Death hated Crona, what if he hated Kid too, for kissing Crona?

Crona didn't mind if Lord Death had a low opinion of them, but they couldn't handle it if he felt the same way about his son.

It wasn't Kid's fault.

Crona sighed and rested their forehead on the open pages of the book. Everything swirled around in a mess in their head. The words stood out on the page, jangling in between Crona's ears.

' _-ook of Eibon, the grand wizard's grimoire is said to have more information and magic than all the covens put together. Over time, so many of the wizard's thoughts were put into it that the book itself is a great magical item. Thought to be able to move people between the real world and other-._ '

"Yes but does it steal your beloved away from you? And how?" Crona asked the book. It remained silent and unhelpful. Crona sighed again.

A nearby rusting through the stacks and shelves made every muscle in the Crona's back and neck seize tight. The sound of scales over brick echoed in their mind.

' _It's not her. She's dead. She's dead because of you._ '

Crona took a deep breath and slowly turned around, prepared to wake Ragnarok from sleep if danger were to arise.

"Crona?" Kilik leaned into sight from around the 900s. The dimming lamp light flashed in his glasses. "Have you been here all day? No one's seen you."

Crona liked Kilik. He wasn't nearly as rambunctious as some of the other meisters and didn't seem to be afraid of Crona like some of the people in Death City were.

"Y-yes. I-I have been. S-sorry." Their voice, always rather gravelly from using scream resonance, sounded even worse from not being used all day and Crona winced.

"It's alright. But it's almost seven. Have you eaten today?" Kilik asked, coming closer, and tilting his head to read the piles of books stacked next to Crona. "What are all these for?"

"I-I um, I'm helping to try and find Maka and Soul and the uh-others." Crona stuttered out, standing up and gathering the books they needed. Kilik grabbed some of them to help carry them to the central desk.

"Whoa, these are heavier than they look. Old too," he pointed out as they carried them back to the first floor. "Have you found anything yet? Since Stein didn't show today we've all just been trying to guess what happened." Crona shook their head and pointed to the exit, trying to indicate the need for privacy for the conversation. Kilik nodded, and shoved his slipping glasses further onto his nose.

Crona meekly handed the books back to the librarian. Some of the books came from the restricted section, and Crona couldn't leave with them. The only two Crona was allowed to take with them were tucked securely under the crook of their arm. Outside of the library, Crona could see that the sun had set and the cackling moon had taken its place.

"Thunder and Fire are with Auntie. Come with me to pick them up, and you can tell me if you found anything." Kilik started leading the way though DWMA's winding halls. It was very quiet in the school. It seemed that nearly everyone had gone for the day.

"U-um I didn't really find anything. M-most of the books say the same thing about Eibon. There doesn't seem to be very much information." Crona muttered. The smooth black and white tiles passed under their boots.

"Has anyone questioned the witch, the one who was used in the ceremony?" Kilik asked.

Crona shrugged. "I think Sid did when he took Eruka back to her cell." The two walked down the large staircase that led to the main hall. Crona glanced up at the mission posting board. A lot of them were about hunting down the rest of Arachnophobia's allies. Kilik looked up too, glasses flashing. He pointed to one that was for Eastern Europe.

"Ox and Harv are there right now. There's a part of Arachne's coven that's still active."

"Oh. W-who went with them?" Lord Death was still having any meisters under three stars hunt in pairs.

Kilik laughed. "He somehow roped Kim into it. I'm sure there was currency involved somehow." From the office there was excited giggling and Thunder and Fire popped up over the ledge. They waved excitedly to their partner. Crona could feel a tiny smile starting across their face.

"Hey guys!" He went over to the window and picked them up, Fire immediately cuddling up to his neck and Thunder clambering onto his shoulders. "Ow! Thunder, don't pull. Did you guys help Auntie today?"

Crona jumped slightly when the receptionist banged opened the door, the tiles behind it cracking slightly.

"They were a super help! The office has never been so colorful." She winked and gently ruffled Fire's hair. Kilik grinned proudly.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from them." Fire caught sight of Crona over Kilik's shoulder and grabbed his hand at Crona.

"H-hi Fire." Crona waved back shyly. Thunder tipped back, looking at Crona upside down. She giggled and lept from Kilik's shoulders, flinging herself at Crona.

For one moment Crona's mind with white with panic. In their mind's eyes they could see Thunder falling through their hands and breaking all over the floor. That's all Crona could do, break things. Because they were bad and they couldn't-

Crona grabbed Thunder, and nearly stumbled. Thunder giggled again in glee and when Crona tucked them closer, she wrapped her arms around their neck.

Heart still going a million miles an hour Crona looked over at Kilik, blushing.

"Looks like you have a friend, Crona," Auntie teased. "Ragnarok might have to watch his back."

' _Tell the gorilla to stick it where the sun doesn't shine_ ,' Ragnarok snarled in Crona's head. Crona winced, shifting their eyes guiltily back to Auntie.

' _Be nice. She is_ ,' Crona said back, eyes glazing slightly while they talked to their partner. However before either Kilik or Auntie could bring Crona back to the present a voice echoed down the hall.

"Crona, there you are." They jumped, spinning around to see Marie striding down the hall.

' _It's Ms. Sunshine McCupcakes._ ' Ragnarok cackled before sinking back into the background of Crona's mind so they couldn't reply.

"Hey, Ms. Marie." Kilik smiled, blushing slightly. Crona had overheard Black*Star teasing the other meister about his 'crush' on Ms. Marie. It wasn't entirely clear to them what a crush was, but it sounded like it hurt.

"Hello Kilik. Hi Thunder, hi Fire," she crooned, coming up and gently tickling Thunder, who grinned and reached for Marie. Crona held her a little tighter to keep her from squirming out of their arms. Marie's eye landed on Crona, who shuffled under her gaze. "Stein and I were looking for you. Were you in the library all day?" Crona nodded.

"Is Professor Stein okay? We heard something about his hands being damaged," Kilik asked.

Marie smiled softly. "Stein's fine. You're going to have less dissection labs for a while, but he'll survive."

Kilik smiled uneasily. "Don't mention it to him, but that's not the worst news I've heard today." Fire yawned hugely in his arm and tugged on Kilik's shirt. "Okay, okay. Looks like it's to get them home." Crona handed Thunder back, despite the girl's sleepy whines of protest.

"H-have a good night Kilik," Crona whispered.

"You too Crona. Don't worry too much about Maka and the other's. If Black*Star's there then trust me, whoever has him will be begging to give that dork back." Kilik tucked each twin securely under his arms then headed off down the hall.

They jumped when a large hand landed on their shoulder. Auntie patted their back, nearly sending Crona to the floor. "Mr. Rung is right, Crona. Those seven have the uncanny ability to get in and out of trouble." She winked. "I've seen enough to know that." Auntie turned to Marie. "Give Stein my best. And tell him to stop leaving that damn chair of his everywhere. I don't even know how he got it into my office," she muttered, shutting the door to the office.

Marie smiled strangely. "That was me. Stein thinks it's Spirit and everyone else thinks it's Stein," she whispered to Crona. She put an arm around Crona's body and started leading them away. Her arm was warm and secure around Crona.

Crona swallowed around the knot in their throat. They could hardly speak to Marie without wanting to apologize over and over for the snake. Their tongue felt heavy with every unsaid apology to her. Marie had already freely given her forgiveness and Crona didn't know what to do with it. It somehow made them almost feel worse, that Marie was able to still see Crona's struggles and turn what should have been anger, disappointment, and distrust into compassion and faith.

"I-I've been looking for what happened to the others today," Crona said instead, trying to be helpful at least. Marie nodded to show she was listening and Crona realized they were on the bad side of her face, where her field of vision ended. Their stomach twisted but they kept talking.

"Th-the spell that Eruka was using w-was suppose to transport them into the book. But if they were inside the contents would be moving with them." That was how Lord Death had explained it this morning.

"So they definitely aren't inside it," Marie frowned and they nearly missed turning to go down to the doors of the DWMA. "Do you have any ideas about what Eruka might have done to them, Crona?"

Crona shook their head then quickly stuttered out, "N-no. I m-mean I don't think Eruka did it on purpose. Lord Death said it would take a witch with exceptional power to use Eibon's book correctly. S-so Eruka probably didn't mean to mess the spell up."

"That's an insightful conclusion, Crona."

Crona nearly jumped out of their skin when Stein's voice came from behind them. For someone even taller than Crona, Stein was exceptionally sneaky when he wanted to be. Marie, however hardly seemed fazed, simply turning around and smiling at him.

"Naigus finally let you leave?"

Stein already had an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth when they pushed open the doors. Dusk was settling over the city, stars gradually emerging. He snorted.

"No. I bribed Sid to let me escape. She should really know better than to leave us alone together by now." He lit up, and Crona noticed the bandages still around his palms and knuckles. The light reflecting in his glasses for a moment. "By the way, I noticed my chair was gone. I wouldn't think Spirit would have the energy to steal it today." Crona looked away while Marie smiled.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked innocently. Stein grinned, stitches distorting.

"Naigus took my cigarettes, who do you think I took these from?" Crona bit their lip again, feeling the mad urge to smile. Stein turned his attention to them, leaning against one of the pillars. Marie leaned against him looping one arm around his waist, comfortable and familiar.

"So you don't think Eruka did it? Then explain your reasoning on what happened instead?" Stein blew out and the blue smoke dissipated slowly. Crona watched, turning over the facts in their head.

"Well if they aren't in the book, and they haven't been found in our world they must be somewhere in between," Crona said slowly. "Eibon collected information from all over the world. Including spells about spatial magic."

"And the creation of Weapons. It was how Arachne started in the first place." Stein pointed out. Crona nodded absently.

"So maybe if they aren't in the book, they were sent to a place outside of it, but still not in our world?"

"An alternate reality?" Marie asked.

"A what?" Crona tilted their head.

"A universe that like ours, except something has been changed," Stein explained. "Maybe they were taken to a world where weapons don't exist, for example."

"A different world?" Crona muttered, horrified. "B-but how would they get back?! They can't stay there!" Stein stubbed out the dregs of his cigarette.

"Yep. That's the problem." Crona gawked at him. "Don't worry too much about it right now, Crona. It's not like the Book can go anywhere, so we have some time to figure how to get them back where they belong."

Seeing Crona's face, Marie gave them a brief tight hug. "They're going to be home soon, Crona. We're all working on it," she whispered and for an instant Crona believed it. They let themselves be protected in her arms for a moment, and fiercely missed Maka. They should have tried harder to convince Kid not to go. They should have been more help when the ceremony went wrong.

Marie gave them one more squeeze and let them go. "Goodnight Crona. We'll see you tomorrow, bright and early." She and Stein started the long walk down the steps to go home. Crona sighed and pressed their forehead into the cool stone pillar. Sniffing, they looked up at the school.

The candles were lit and Crona could still hear Kid's explanation of the unusual decoration.

/" _They're a beacon. Death City is a home to all weapons and meisters, and the candles are always lit so our people can always find a way home." Kid gripped Crona's hands tightly, both of them looking at the bright flame. "Death City is your home now too, Crona. These will guide you back, always."/_ /

They cast one more look at the city and surrounding desert.

"Find your way home, please, Kid," they whispered to the wind, and hoped it would find him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"What do you get when you cross a lion, a goat and a snake?" Crona asked, striding over the desolate sands.

"A chimera," Maka answered so fast the words nearly blended together. "It was a monster from greek myth." Kid could nearly hear Soul and Black*Star roll their eyes.

Since leaving the magic portal, which was about eight miles north of the city Crona had been giving them riddles to answer. So far most of them had been recognizable from greek legends and Kid had the funny feeling Medusa had been the one to teach them to Crona.

They smiled, twistedly. "You're right. It was Eruka's nickname for me."

Maka wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Really?"

"After Ragnarok and I were joined, when I would train with Medusa she'd say it was the chimera battling the snake." Their smile slipped away, thinking about Eruka.

"Were the two of you close?" Maka asked hesitantly.

Crona shrugged. "She was one of the younger witches and Medusa trusted her to take care of me. I have a lot of memories that involve her."

"How old you were when you and Ragnarok were fused?" Liz asked curiously.

Ragnarok had always been a source of morbid fascination for the other weapons. Forever trapped inside of his meister and barely human anymore, it wasn't hard to see why. Kid would never admit it, but privately he was impressed the sword managed to survive the trauma at all. Even Asura's own weapon, Vajra, had died when he was consumed by his meister.

"Ragnarok was twenty-five. I was six." Crona replied simply.

"Whoa, what?" Liz stopped. "I thought he was just a kid like you when it was done!" Crona stopped as well, staring at her.

"Does it matter? We both volunteered. I'd known Ragnarok all my life and he's a powerful weapon. He had also served Arachne faithfully since she rescued him from Death." Crona turned back, marching forward again. "We're partners. That's all that matters."

Liz shivered, despite the blazing sun beating down. "Yeah, but it's one more fucked up layer on the horrible cake of this reality," she muttered.

"Do think that's how old our Ragnarok is?" Patti whispered. Kid shrugged. He hadn't ever asked. Kid wasn't very interested in Ragnarok, other than he was a bully and Crona could have had a better partner, if it hadn't been for Medusa's interference.

' _Crona knows that Patti's favorite kind of cupcake is lemon and that Liz still has her fake New York ID to buy wine. They know both of the girls birthdays. Do you know anything about Ragnarok at all?_ ' His mind interjected uncomfortably.

"The city will be coming into view soon," Crona called over their shoulder, boots sinking into the cracked dirt of Death Valley. The group hiked over a final dune and Death City rose over the horizon.

"Oh dear Death," Maka whispered.

In bleak tones of grey and black the city stood in a smoky haze on its hill. The road that led into the city was crumbling and the buildings that were shaped like his father's mask were broken and cracked. The wind blew and the smell of smoke made Kid's eyes water. Gone were the black orbs that stood sentry over the city, gone were the candles from the top of the school, gone were the bright reds and oranges and pure white that used to be Kid's home. Nothing moved over the sands that led into the city.

Liz put a hand on his shoulder, and Kid knew he must look upset. Death City was a presence as comforting to him as his father. It was his home, and nearly nothing else had ever matched the level of affection Kid had for it. To see it neglected and crumbling was to see his father, blown open from the Kishin's attacks all over again.

"I'm sorry," Crona was looking at Maka, who stared at the city as if it had done her a personal insult. "You live here in your universe?"

Maka nodded, hands clenched. "Yeah. We do. But it is nothing like this," she spat. "This is not what our home is."

"Yet here it is," Crona said quietly. After a quiet moment they spoke again. "We need to keep moving. There's a system of tunnels that leads into the inside of the city. From there we need to figure out where they're keeping the witches."

Kid did not want to move towards the sad and disgusting version of his home. But Crona was already leading the way across the sands.

Patti shuddered but started walking after their friends. "God, if that's what Death City looks like I'd hate to see New York. That place was already dilapidated as hell."

"I hope we aren't going to find out, Pat," Liz muttered back.

"So where do you think they're keeping Arachne and Medusa?" Soul asked, as they ducked pipes and clambered over the concrete barriers. Liz whined every time a rat scampered over her boots.

"Under the school."

"Franken Stein."

Crona and Kid stared at each other. Their words had completely overlapped.

"Trust me, they'll be with Stein," Crona assured them.

"Why would they take the witches to Stein? It would be better to keep them completely secure under the school," Kid argued.

"My mother has a history with Stein. He was the one who originally discovered that she was a witch." Crona's voice invited no more discussion. "Come on. We're wasting time. They'll be at Stein's lab." With that they continued through the cramped tunnels.

"Do you think Stein is the one who removed Medusa's eye?" Patti asked.

"Hey, maybe he gave it to Ms. Marie as an engagement present," Soul smirked. Even Kid had to hide his grin. Marie and Stein were probably the DWMA's worst kept secret. It would have been easier if they stopped coming to class late, with glasses and eye patch askew respectively. Kid liked to think that he and Crona were at least more discreet.

Maka turned and barely avoided hitting her face on a pipe.

"Don't joke about that, Soul. I have a bad feeling about this," she snapped.

"I've had a bad feeling since we got here, Maka." Liz pointed out. "Are you just now realizing how much shit we're in? Because it's kinda a lot."

"Not just that, but think about it. If weapons are just tools in this world, then what kind of man is Stein going to be? He was the greatest meister to ever graduate from the DWMA. He's better at using his soul force than anyone. He can master any weapon. And now, if he has two extremely powerful witches, what do you think he's going to do to them?" Maka whispered desperately.

"Fuck Medusa and Arachne. What is he doing to the weapons?" Black*Star returned. They all stared at each other for a moment.

"We need to get to Stein's lab," Kid concluded.

Crona led them up tunnel till they hit a maintenance room that came out the side of the school. Before they opened the door, they turned to the rest of the meisters. "Don't draw any attention. The only reason we'll be able to walk down the streets is because no one will look twice at Death's best." They paused, eyes lingering on Tsubaki. "The weapons will also need to transform."

"What about you? Won't people realize you're part witch?" Kid asked. Crona shrugged.

"I don't have soul protect. My magic isn't strong enough, but if we don't draw attention to ourselves no one should be the wiser until we are getting out of the city."

Kid sighed but held out his hands for Liz and Patti. One by one the weapons transformed. Crona took a breath, then shoved the door open.

The dark alley was quiet and still. Shreds of newspaper floated on the warm breeze and glass crunched underfoot as they walked out onto the street.

"Do you know your way to his lab?" Kid asked under his breath.

"It's in the southwest part of the city. Mother always said that the smell of formaldehyde would lead to it," Crona whispered back, eyes straight ahead. The streets were mostly empty. The few people walking around kept their eyes down and walked quickly to their destination. The group turned a corner and Maka twitched compulsively when they saw a large black and white mural of Lord Death's mask, painted onto the side of the building. Graffiti wasn't anything new to Death City, but it usually wasn't so austere.

"The eyes of T.J. Eckleberg," Maka whispered darkly, glaring. Kid nodded absently, then nearly did a double take.

"Really?" He hissed back.

"Don't tell me it's not relevant," she muttered.

"We're surrounded by danger and some assholes have our weapons as slaves and the two of you are still fucking nerds," Black*Star scoffed. He sighed dramatically. "Sometimes it's hard being the coolest one of your friends."

"Dear Hecate, please stop," Crona said through gritted teeth, walking slightly faster. Black*Star smirked slightly, even as Kid and Maka shook their heads.

The slight levity was quickly crushed under the city's oppressive and grim feeling. Even though the sun was shining brightly overhead the city still felt dark. The grey buildings didn't help at all. As they turned one corner Crona stiffened and pressed closer to the inside of the road. Kid was going to question them until he saw what it was.

A meister that Kid only vaguely recognized from the school was walking down the sidewalk, head held high. He kept one hand in his pocket and the other one was wrapped around a long silver chain. Kid followed the chain up to see it coiled around the thick neck of another boy, a weapon. Muzzled and bruised, the weapon briefly made eye contact as they passed. Rage and grief blazed in his eyes before the meister yanked and the chain and he dropped his head.

Crona shook, a hand clenched at their side and they picked up the pace once more. The streets grew more and more desolate as they went further and further out of the city center. They passed a barren lot, filled with plain headstones.

"Hook Cemetery," Maka whispered.

"They're all the names of meisters," Kid realised, eyes flicking over the names. Not one was a weapon. He, Maka and Black*Star all looked at each other, the implication chilling.

Maka opened her mouth to say it, but slowly shut it. Kid could understand though. Some things were a little too terrible to say outloud.

Kid recognized it when they were finally upon Stein's lab. The shape of the building was unmistakable. But Maka frowned.

"What happened to the stitches?"

The grey building seemed exceptionally plain in the sunlight. All of the decorative stitches were gone. All of Marie's plants and the watercan shaped like an elephant were gone. It could have just been another industrial building if Kid didn't know better.

"So what's the plan? Do we just go up and knock on the door? Because, I'll be honest, I've been looking forward to round two with Stein for a long time now," Black*Star cracked his knuckles. Crona held out a hand to stop him, eyeing the building.

"On the roof. The vents are up there. We can get into the attic from there and then into the house," Crona muttered, eyes shifting side to side. Kid knew they were talking to Ragnarok in their mind. They'd explained once that Ragnarok was never really awake or asleep, more like he was always on but there were times Ragnarok would descend into their subconsciousness, like a jellyfish sinking beneath the waves.

"Can you all get to the roof?" Crona whispered, and by the time they'd finished the sentence, Black*Star was halfway up the wall with Maka right on his heels. To Kid's delight, for the first time since landing in that hellish world, Crona actually looked halfway impressed by them. With catlike grace, Kid and Crona followed them up. Black*Star was already scoping the roof for vents.

"This one will work," the assassin finally declared, pointing grandly to one that was bigger than the others. It smelled strongly of something like sauerkraut and Kid wrinkled his nose at the idea of climbing through the filthy thing.

"Will your ego fit through it?" Maka asked sweetly.

"I don't know Maka, will your fat ank-" Black*Star never got the rest of the word out as Maka hit him with the back of Soul's staff.

"Ssshhhh!" Crona hissed, leaning closer to the vent, every muscle tense. "I can hear something," they frowned. After a moment they opened their eyes, gasping. "It's mother! I can hear her talking to Stein." Real fear shined in their eyes. "We have to get in there." Crona gripped the metal grate and with a tearing sound it was ripped free from the concrete roof. They tossed it away and started climbing inside the vent, a clumsy and frantic urgency to their movements now.

"Whoa, wait, Crona! If she's still talking, that's good, right? I mean at least we know she's still alive-" Maka put out a hand to stop her friend.

"You don't understand!" Crona snapped. "Stein was the one who discovered she was a witch the first time mother was here. He kept silent for a time, but he had a price." Crona's doe eyes twitched back and forth. Then they sighed, the tension abruptly going out of them. "Stein is my father."

Kid reeled in shock. Maka's breath stuttered and she just barely stuttered out 'Wh-wha-' before Crona was talking again, voice hushed and eyes closed.

"He was the one to discover she was a witch. By the time she escaped with Blair, she was already pregnant. After I was joined with Ragnarok, she told me." Crona opened their eyes again. "I won't let Stein do anything to her again."

Maka nodded slowly, still in shock. Crona wiggled down the shaft and disappeared.

"D-did you know?" Kid managed to ask Maka. She shook her head.

"We don't know if it's the same in our universe." Black*Star pointed out uneasily. The three glanced at each other, before Black*Star followed Crona down.

Maka looked slightly dazed. "We need to get out of here. He's starting to make sense."

Kid nodded darkly. "I have no disagreements. Ladies first." He gestured to the vent. She glared and pointed to her skirt.

"I don't fucking think so, Kid."

Kid sighed in exasperation and eased his way into the vent. It was full of dust and smelled even worse than the air outside. He could hear the slight creaking from the other two ahead of him and tried not to focus on how utterly disgusting this was. He counted his breath and tapped his finger on the vent with every other crawl. The steady beat was distracting enough. Kid reached the attic with a relieved breath. Crona and Black*Star were staring down another vent. Crona's hands were curled into tight fists and their face was down. Black*Star was frowning thunderously.

"What is it?"

Black*Star turned his eyes to him. "Arachne is dead." Crona flinched at his words, turning their face further away.

Kid kneeled next to them, hesitantly placing a hand on their back. They were cold and the tight muscles felt like stone under his hand.

"I'm sorry, Crona. What about Medusa?" he whispered. Black*Star shook his head.

"She's alive. Somehow," he muttered.

Kid leaned over the vent, staring down.

The view was mostly obstructed, but he could see the plain white tiles of the room and the steel examination tables. Medusa was laid out on the one under them. Her braid was unraveled and her hair was sticking to the table, matted with blood from some head wound Kid couldn't see from the vent. Her one eye was nearly swollen shut, with blood running down from a cut on the lower lid. Her ankles had been firmly locked to the steel legs, and her hands, instead of being bound, were carefully sewn together at the wrist with thick black thread. Her arms had also been disfigured, the tattoos on her upper shoulders were gone, the skin carefully removed, so Kid could see every twitch of her muscles as she moved on the table. Blood sluggishly leaked from her arms and wrists, joining the growing puddle Medusa was laying in. Her head swiveled from side to side, watching someone out of view.

Leaning to the side, Kid could see her sister's body draped over a chair. Arachne's body was limp and her dress was torn down the middle. Her chest cavity had been caved in and left exposed. Her face was remarkably composed in death, her grey eyes still open and staring at her sister. There were footsteps and Stein paced lazily under the vent. He released the murky purple soul and let it float away for a moment before snatching it back by the tail. He was like a child with a balloon, seeing how far he could let it go before grabbing it in the last moment.

"Where did his bolt go?" Maka hissed from Kid's right. She was correct, the bolt and all of Stein's facial scars were missing. He looked clean-shaven and his usual stitched-together clothing was replaced by a plain black turtleneck and khakis.

"He doesn't need it anymore. Remember, here Stein can experiment on any number of weapons," Kid whispered, cold horror washing over him.

Crona hushed them as Stein started speaking to Medusa.

"I'm a little surprised to see you back here. I thought we were done after the last time, but I do suppose it's nice to have company." He walked until he was standing at the end of the table. "I was hoping that you'd come by, since we caught your little sister." Stein sighed. "She didn't last very long and wasn't nearly as fun as some of the other witches. She started begging for her life after I'd only removed half her joints. I had to kill her after that. No one likes a crybaby." One bone-white finger ran across the top of Medusa's feet.

The witch did not respond, simply watching. Next to Kid Crona's face was fixed in horror, eyes wide and their mouth half open. Kid watched as they mouthed, 'Shaula'.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you it's very dangerous to go barefoot? You could slice your foot open on anything," Stein said mildly. He reached over and grabbed a scalpel from the desk. "I have been instructed by Death to get information from you. I don't think he would mind if I put you in pieces."

The hair on the back of Kid's neck stood up when Medusa laughed. "You're even more foolish than I remember if you think I can be intimidated by that old trick, Stein. It didn't work the first time, and it didn't work on either of my sisters. Why in Hecate's name would it work now?" She taunted him, her words slurring slightly. Crona's hands tightened.

Stein shrugged. "I know." He placed the scalpel to her heel. "It still doesn't hurt to try." He slowly ran the sharp blade up her foot, blood gradually pooling underneath it. Medusa grunted but made no other sounds as Stein finished the incision.

Crona shook next to Kid as they watched. Stein reached for a hook shaped probe, and even Maka squirmed as he began working to pull back the skin tissue on Medusa's feet, peeling it back like he was carefully unwrapping a present.

Just as Stein finished removing a strip of Medusa's skin from the sole of her foot, he suddenly stopped, head tilted towards the door.

"Pardon me for a moment," he smirked and laid the tools just out of reach from Medusa. "Don't go anywhere."

Medusa watched him leave and then thumped her head back against the table with a bang. Crona was breathing heavily beside him, every muscle tight.

"We aren't sure how far he moved away. Don't do anything," Kid warned into their ear. He glanced back at the vent and something caught his eye.

"Are those," Kid squinted through the vent, "weapons?"

Leaning all the way forward, he could see the far wall of the lab. Pinned to the tiles with thick steel bands was the familiar shape of the lightning staff.

"Is that Harv?" he whispered. The further he leaned in, the more weapons he could see hung on the walls. His heart leapt to his throat when there was the familiar shape of two automatics, with steel wrapped around the muzzles.

"Let me see!" Maka shoved her way in front of him and Kid nearly fell into Crona. "Oh no, Soul," she whispered, fingers curling into the grate.

"This must be where they're kept, when they aren't with their meisters," Crona eyed the room. "Stein is still gone. We should break this and get them while we can."

Kid shook his head. "The noise will bring him to us in a heartbeat."

"Well then what's-" Crona snapped before Maka cut them off.

"Wait Crona, I have an idea," Maka's green eyes shined as she explained her plan. "Let me go to the front door and knock on it. I'll distract him while you guys grab Medusa. I'll follow him back to the lab and when he discovers that she's gone I'll volunteer to help him find her. Then when we're both gone, you grab the the other Soul, Liz, Patti and Tsubaki."

"How will you find us again?" Black*Star asked.

Maka waved her hand. "I can ditch Stein. It'll be easy."

Her partner made his voice heard. "Maka are you kidding? Stein has Soul Perception! He'll know it's you in about two seconds."

"This is my choice Soul, not yours. Butt out," she snapped.

"Like hell! Crona, tell her she's being unreasonable," Soul implored, real fear starting to color his voice.

There were footsteps coming down the hall. "Come on, Crona! I can do this," Maka whispered urgently. Crona's eyes darted from looking at Medusa to looking at Maka and back.

"Go! He's coming in now," they whispered and Maka crawled away, back up the vent, leaving Soul with them. The scythe returned to human form and sent Crona a scathing look, panic settling in his eyes.

Black*Star frowned. "She's a bad actress, you know."

Soul groaned quietly. "Thanks. That's exactly what I need to here right now, Black*Star."

Stein walked back into the room. "I'm sorry. Little domestic problem." He chuckled and picked the probe back up. "Where were we?"

Bells tolled through the house. Stein sighed in exasperation. "Marie! The door!" he called down the hall. There was a moment of silence and he sighed again, throwing the probe down in disgust.

"I have to do everything around here," Stein grumbled and walked back out. After a moment of silence, Crona moved.

"Stay here," they whispered and tugged the grate out. The screech of metal against tile was loud and Medusa looked up at them. Crona dropped through the ceiling and gracefully hit the ground in a tuck and roll. Kid held his breath as they listened for footsteps. Crona hurried over to the table and pressed their forehead to Medusa's. Kid could see their mouth moving but whatever they said to Medusa was too quiet to hear. Medusa nodded to Crona, and pointed clumsily to Arachne's soul.

"Come on, come on, hurry up," Black*Star muttered as Crona grabbed the soul and shoved it into a pocket, where it stayed. Then Medusa nodded over to another corner and Crona darted away, only to return with another witch's soul. ' _That one must be Shaula's,_ ' Kid thought.

"Keys?" Crona whispered to their mother.

"With Stein. Just cut them loose. It's not like I'll be able to walk, anyway," Medusa told them. Crona summoned Ragnarok and raised him to be even with Medusa's thin ankles, before their eyes widened and they dove under the examination table like a rabbit into a burrow.

"-urprised that you came all this way, Albarn. I could have just had someone bring you Soul." Stein's voice echoed down the hall.

"Well I wanted to make this a special occasion." Maka's voice quavered under the coquettish falsetto. "He shouldn't forget who he belongs to, after all."

Stein laughed. "I don't think he could. After you had me make the modifications, I think you're probably in his every waking thought."

"Well, at least that's still the same." Black*Star smirked.

"Shut up," Soul hissed, face lighting up in a bright red blush.

"O-oh. I, um, wouldn't say that," Maka stuttered. There was the clinking of metal on metal and Stein's voice grew closer as the door creaked open.

"How do you like the trophy, Maka? I haven't decided yet who will get her soul."

Maka gasped, probably from seeing that Medusa was still on the table. Kid risked a glance over the edge and saw her staring up at them, green eyes wide. Stein had his back turned, at the desk against the wall.

"Crona's under the table," Kid tried to mouth to her. Maka tilted her head in confusion.

"So did you have fun with your last mission, Maka? I heard Anya got her first witch." He was still turned away and Maka started edging towards the table.

"Oh yes. I was, of course, able to see darling Crona again." She jumped when she backed into the table. Stein laughed again.

"You are quite fond of the demon sword aren't you? When do you plan on defeating it? I keep waiting to get it on my table, you know. And after all, you could use a better upgrade. I don't think that cat helped you very much. After all, she wasn't a real witch," he paused. "Rather like you aren't a real meister, or the real Maka, for that matter."

"Oh shit no." Black*Star groaned.

"I-I uh-" Maka stuttered again.

"Does it sting Maka? I don't know why you keep trying to run around with Black*Star and Kid. They're both so far out of your league that you could use all the souls you can get. The most exceptional thing about your abilities is how advanced you are at seeing souls," he sighed in disappointment. "But Maka. You aren't the only one who can do that." Stein whipped around, holding a very large needle, a too-familiar grin spreading across his face. Maka blanched in horror. "Little girl, I don't know who you are, but I promise I'm going to have a lot of fun using your soul, along with whoever your friend is under the table, I think. Why don't you be good and come out before I hurt whoever our dear imposter is." Slowly Crona emerged from under the table, glaring.

"Ah ha. The infamous demon sword. It's very nice to meet you. As soon as I'm done with your mother, I'll get back to you." Stein lunged forward to stab them with the syringe.

"Vector plate," Medusa slurred and Stein was sent backwards into the wall. Before he could regain his senses, Crona snarled and tackled Stein to the ground, the syringe falling from his grasp and exploding all over the floor.

"Oh, fuck it." Black*Star threw Soul in scythe form down to Maka and then followed. Kid jumped as well and found Crona panting over a very unconscious Stein. He was bleeding from the temple, blood running into the drain in the middle of the room. Crona ripped the keys from his coat pocket and quickly unlocked Medusa. They tossed the keys to Maka who fumbled with them.

"Find your weapons. We need to go now." Crona cut Medusa's hands apart with the scalpel before tearing through drawers for bandages. Soul transformed and stepped away from Maka, searching the wall for his other self. Kid let Liz and Patti go to transform as well and Tsubaki started helping Crona bandage Medusa's feet and other injuries.

Maka swallowed hard, looking up the wall.

"There." Soul pointed. The other Soul was chained to it about five feet up. Kid and Black*Star helped Maka push the other examination table over so she could reach it. With shaking hands, she unlocked the chain.

"It's okay. You can transform now," she spoke softly to the scythe and pulled him down to pass the keys to Kid. He quickly unlocked the bands around his weapons. He gently placed them on the ground and backed away, hands up.

Kid turned around when Black*Star snarled, eyes flicking over the wall. "None of her forms are here! Where is she?" He turned to the still inanimate weapons.

"Hey! Other Soul, where's the Tsubaki?" The scythe stayed propped against the wall, still and quiet.

"H-he w-won't answer." Liz's voice came out as shaky as the real Crona's had been when first joined the DWMA

Kid turned back to Liz and Patti, steeling himself.

His mind stopped for a moment.

Liz's face was littered with small scars. The same on both sides. Her eyes were bloodshot and the shirt she wore was stained and torn. Her hair was shorn down till Kid could see the scratches where a razor had been dragged across it. The other Patti whimpered and hid her face further into Liz's shoulder, shaking. Her shorts and sports bra were torn and both went barefoot. Kid reached out and the other Liz flinched back, her pupils becoming pinpoints of terror.

"Oh god," the real Liz gasped.

Kid swallowed around the knot in his throat. "I won't hurt you, Liz. I'm not the other Kid," he said softly. She didn't move her gaze away, stroking over Patti's head.

"Why won't Soul answer?" Maka asked urgently.

"H-he c-can't. She won't l-let him." Liz turned to the other Soul, speaking softly, her eyes occasionally darting back to her horrified audience.

"C-come out. It's not h-her." After a moment Soul's double transformed. His white hair was grey with dirt and he went shirtless. Maka started forward, green eyes flickering over her partner's form, instinctively. He backed up in horror and started to fall. Maka reached out to grab his arm to steady him.

An arm that wasn't there.

"Shit!" Their Soul turned away, palms pressed into his eyes. Kid wished he could do the same. The stump was right at the shoulder and the other Soul went to his knees when he fell to the left, unable to catch himself against the wall. Maka stood frozen, her hand still out. Black*Star walked over to the other Liz and Patti and crouched down.

"I need to know where Tsubaki is." He said, staring intensely. Wordlessly, Liz pointed to a door at the back of the lab. They all slowly turned to look at it and the doorknob rattled. Wordlessly, Kid handed the key chain to Black*Star.

"S-she wouldn't stop transforming when he p-pinned her to the wall. She'd change her shape so they couldn't pin her down, and she nearly st-st-strangled herself on the chains once. She had to be kept in the room," Liz said softly, slowly standing up, half dragging her sister up with her. They hadn't let each other go since transforming. They clung together as if some force was prepared to pry them apart at any moment.

Black*Star unlocked the door and it was revealed to be more of a supply closet than anything. Slowly, the other Tsubaki crawled into the light, her long black hair hanging limply in her face as her eyes adjusted.

"Tsubaki!" Black*Star went to help her up and she hissed, striking out blindly. Her blue eyes were furious as she stood, staring her meister down. Her arm had transformed into a ninja short sword.

"Do not touch me!" Her eyes darted from side to side. She backed up until she was standing protectively in front of the other weapons.

Crona finished wrapping Medusa's foot and started forward, eyes shining urgently. Tsubaki turned to them. "Come any closer and I will kill you." Crona held out their hands.

"These aren't your meisters. They're from a different universe. I'm with the witches and we're escaping now," they explained quickly. "We need to leave right now, can all of you run?"

"Prove they're different." Tsubaki snapped. "We go nowhere until then."

"They have their own weapons." Crona pointed to the real Tsubaki, who stared at her doppelganger, expression unreadable. "Please, the witches will give you sanctuary but we need to go _right now._ "

Other Tsubaki turned her gaze to the real one, who met it unflinchingly. "Did you eat Angela?" she demanded.

"No. In our universe she's been spared with her bodyguard," Tsubaki answered, her voice and hands steady.

The hostile weapon's eyes shifted back and forth slowly. She dropped her arm. "We're coming," she finally decided.

"You can keep up?" Crona confirmed. Tsubaki nodded. "Good." Crona scooped Medusa over their shoulders. "We'll head around to the back of the house and take the way around the city center. It will take more time but-"

There was a crash behind them. Everyone turned and Marie stood in the doorway.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

Marie stood in the doorway, holding half a tea set. The rest was broken on the ground. Her eyes stayed pinned on them, ignoring the mess.

Eyes.

"You were right, Soul," Black*Star pointed out. Marie wasn't wearing an eye patch and two golden eyes glowed from her face. One was her normal golden right eye. The other was what was left of Medusa's cat-like eye. The pupil had turned a milky white and the gold around was becoming brown and the entire thing seemed to sag slightly in the socket. It was slowly rotting away, Kid realized. The optic wasn't connect to anything and so it was slowly becoming fetid, melting away down her face.

"I wish I'd been wrong," Soul muttered.

"Ms. Marie," Maka gasped. The Death Scythe didn't say anything, but her gaze landed on Stein, still out cold on the floor. Kid heard her gasp softly and she moved across to stand beside her meister. She looked down at him for a moment. Marie slowly raised her eyes to Crona, who was still hesitantly holding Ragnarok out.

Marie walked back over to the door and threw it open. Her face was stiller than stone, but lightening flashed in her eye.

"Go. Take that with you," she gestured to Medusa's still form. "Do not come back." Her eye landed on the ragged weapons. "Run," she whispered and returned to her meister's side, back turned to them. ' _Weapons love blindly._ ' The phrase floated through Kid's head like a stray fallen leaf.

The other weapons didn't even hesitate, sprinting out the door. Crona stopped and looked at Marie.

"Thank you," they said, sincerity in every letter. Marie nodded vaguely, still staring down at Stein. She knelt and brushed a grey bang from his face, smearing the blood from his temple slightly.

As they ran out the lab doors, Kid glanced over his shoulder. For a moment he thought he could see Marie reach behind her, hand passing over the fallen scalpel on the ground. They turned a corner and Kid saw no more.

They sprinted through Stein's lab, arrows leading the way. Crona draped Medusa in a fireman's carry over their back. The witch seemed to be fading fast and it occurred to Kid that they had no idea what else had been done to her before they got there.

The other Tsubaki seemed to know where she was going and took corners and ran through halls so fast at times the only thing they could see was her hair whipping around a corner. Finally Kid saw the steel front door, and Tsubaki burst through it into the sunlight.

"Where now?" She demanded as Crona followed her out.

"We can't go back through to the maintenance tunnel. Mother can't walk and someone will realise that there are duplicate weapons. We'll have to-"

"Can you hear that?" Black*Star asked. They all froze for a moment. At first Kid thought it was an alarm ringing through the air. But it seemed to be moving, getting closer to them.

"Did Marie call the police?" Soul asked.

The other Tsubaki hissed. "I'm not going back! They'll have to kill me first."

"It's howling. Oh no." Crona looked towards the school, electric-blue eyes wide. "Come on." They started quickly down the road, leaving the lab behind.

The howling increased and as they turned Kid saw a huge, slavering wolf charging towards them.

"Free. It's Free!" Crona breathed in horror. "He followed us! Oh Hecate damn us to the fires of hell, he fucking followed us!"

The werewolf stopped, sniffed the air and turned towards Crona. Howling, he bounded toward them.

"I've found you!" He skidded to a stop in front of them.

"What the hell are you doing here, Free?" Crona demanded. He growled.

"Eruka. She was- I need to-" He shook his huge, shaggy head. "I can't let her death go." He finally growled softly. His tail dropped to hang between his legs. "She was important to me, Crona."

Crona's gaze softened. "I understand, Free. She was important to us both. We'll make sure she is not forgotten. But Medusa is injured and we can't do this right now." They stroked Free's face. "We'll make sure they pay." Free let out a soft whine, and gently butted his head to Crona's shoulder. "Help me save what's left of our family, Free, please." Crona begged and the wolf slowly laid down.

"I'll carry her," he growled.

Crona sighed in relief and laid the witch over the wolf's back. Medusa weakly gripped the fur, eye half lidded and unfocused.

Free stood up and started trotting ahead, nose up into the air. They circled around to the back of the lab and started over the empty lots filled with yellow grass the texture of straw. They were only halfway to the southern exit of the city when Kid heard the real alarms start chiming madly. From the city center he could hear sirens start to wail and the many shouts of people.

The other weapons looked around, panicking. Patti clung to her sister's back and sobbed into her neck.

"Free, run! We need to go!" Crona broke into a run as the sirens neared. Ragnarok burst from their back, swords forming in his hands, guarding his meister's back. Maka grabbed the real Soul's hand, as he already shifted into a scythe. Tsubaki glanced at Black*Star, before changing into her chain scythe form. Liz and Patti were already in Kid's hands, ready to go.

They sprinted through deserted streets, down the huge hill the city was built on. Loose gravel and cobblestones caught under their shoes and made them skid around corners. The exit of the city, a giant crumbling highway bridge, finally appeared at the bottom of a winding street. The other weapons stumbled but started sprinting as their freedom drew near.

"You fucking bitch!" a shrill voice screeched from behind them. Kid looked over his shoulder to the other Maka, running after them, and holding another very familiar looking scythe.

"Papa!" Their Maka slid to stop, eyes wide.

Crona slowed and stopped, staring.

"Keep running!" they shouted when Free slowed down to watch. "Get them out of the city!" They ran back to where Maka was squaring off with her counterpart. Kid saw them touch her shoulder and stood next to her, drawing Ragnarok.

Kid and Black*Star stopped, watching as the real Maka charged back up to the other her, slamming Soul against the pitch black scythe. Crona circled around to the back of the other Maka, while the two dueled.

"That scythe belongs to me! Give it back!" the other Maka screamed, slashing at the real Maka's knees with Spirit.

"Fuck you, he doesn't belong to anyone!" the real Maka snarled back. "None of them belong to any of you!" She thrust Soul's staff into her doppelganger's gut, then spun and brought the blade down, nearly driving it into the side of the imposters head. She dodged back but stumbled, almost into Crona, who pushed them back towards Maka.

"He's a gardening tool, and when I find his sorry ass, I'm taking the other fucking arm too!" she screamed, rushing Maka again. The real one swiped down and blood spilled over the pavement.

Kid could tell that Maka hadn't intended for an injury so severe. She stumbled back, as the other fell to the ground, shocked to silence as blood poured from the diagonal cut down her front.

"Maka!" Spirit transformed, wrapping his arms around his daughter. "Oh no, oh no. Maka, angel, don't worry, you'll be fine. Stein can fix you." His voice was hoarse as he crooned, picking her up. His beard had grown out and white streaks cut through his read hair. Like Soul, he was shirtless and barefoot.

"Papa-" The real Maka reached out as if to touch him, but Spirit backed away holding his daughter to his chest. He shook his head, eyes wild.

"You aren't mine," he muttered and then turned, running back up the hill, cradling his child.

Maka stood petrified for a moment. Her back was to them and Kid couldn't see her face. Crona gently touched her arm again, whispering to her. Maka nodded and her hand passed over her face, rubbing.

They ran back down, the sierens still wailing.

"We need to catch up with Free and the others," was all Crona said, running past them. Kid followed and let Black*Star and Maka take the back.

"Are you going to be okay?" he heard Black*Star whisper to her.

"I hate this universe," was all she said back.

Free was still trotting across the sands, panting when they caught up. The weapons huddled together in his shadow, trying to avoid the sun. Liz was still carrying Patti on her back. The city grew smaller and smaller with every step they took.

"We need to start heading south, back towards the portal," Crona explained as they detoured around a large dune in the sand. The wind whistled through the sand, rushing over the sparse vegetation and around the worn out boulders. Kid let Liz and Patti transform back into humans, and they stuck to his left and right sides like magnets. Maka and Soul walked together towards the back, heads bent together, speaking quietly.

The other Tsubaki was staring at Black*Star, blue eyes narrowed. Her tangled hair was blown about by the wind, and her torn and dirty kimono was stained with blood so old it had turned brown.

"Hey, assassin!" she shouted and Black*Star and the real Tsubaki turned to her. The other weapons stopped, watching. "Did you make her eat her brother too?" she asked, her top lip curling up. "Did you and your filthy family slice him to ribbons and then have her skewer his heart on her sword, just so he'd stop screaming?" Her voice grew louder with every word. Black*Star stared with wide eyes.

"Tsubaki-"

"Don't fucking call me that, you greedy, treacherous ninja," she snarled and her arm became a katana, tinged with black. "I think it's time you pay."

She rushed him, flying over the sand. Her blade swung straight for his face. "You made me kill him! You made me eat him! I hate you! I HATE YOU! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Tsubaki was feral, slicing at the air and then swinging her arm up to slap Black*Star in the face. If he hadn't been as dedicated to his physical conditioning as he was, Kid didn't doubt she would have landed a hit on him. Black*Star was showing a certain reluctance to try and strike back against his weapon. She kicked out and caught his knee. However before she could bring the sword down on his head, the real Tsubaki struck out with her own chain scythe.

"Dont. Touch. My. Meister," her voice came out very cold and even. Kid shuddered and even Crona took a step back. The other Tsubaki's eyes widened in surprise as the chain wrapped around her wrist, holding her back. For a moment the two stared at each other, evaluating.

Tsubaki, before coming to the DWMA, had extensive hand to hand combat training. Along with her family pedigree and extremely flexible soul, it was a reason she was considered one of the best weapons at the school.

With a flick she unwrapped the chain from her counterpart, and delivered a sharp blow with the palm of her hand to the sternum. The other went rolling into the sand, hacking as the air was pushed from her lungs. The weapons watched, eyes flicking from the two and back to where Black*Star stood in silent shock. For a moment the only sound was the other Tsubaki's heavy breathing and the wind. Then the other struggled to her feet, and with a feral scream, she charged again, the dirt and grit spraying up under her bare feet.

This time, she was not alone.

Kid watched in stupefaction as Liz dropped Patti from her back, and stood, shaking in fury and pulled her hand into the shape of a gun. For the first time since getting down from the wall in Stein's lab, Liz showed some echo of the spirit she had. She fired at him. Kid went down as the shot of wavelength hit him in the chest.

He knew that he could dodge her attacks. But some part of him had stayed rooted to the ground, staring into the eyes of someone he considered to be a family member.

"Kid!" His Liz and Patti yelled out. He rolled over and coughed into the sand, then flinched when another shot hit close to his face, spraying sand everywhere. The girls leapt over his head and he could hear the other Liz scream. He watched as they tackled her to the ground.

"Shoot him again, and I will fucking return the favor, bitch," Patti hissed, shoving her false sister onto her back.

The other Patti gasped in horror and tucked herself into a ball, face pressed into her knees. Kid's heart lurched, looking at her. He could hear that Tsubaki and her double continued to scuffle, the sound of metal hitting metal and flesh hitting flesh.

Kid risked a glance and saw that the other Soul hadn't even moved, staring at them all with tired red eyes. The real Soul stood next to Maka, watching warily, not sure if he would be the next to try and exact some measure of revenge.

"You're a monster! A FUCKING MONSTER! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" Liz's scream was muffled against the ground, even as her legs kicked, trying to throw them off. "TELL ME WHY!"

"We don't know! But it wasn't him, you can't blame our Kid for something yours did!" Patti snapped."

"Let her go," Kid pushed himself to his feet. Patti glanced at him before slowly standing.

"Be nice," she warned the copy of her sister, backing up to stand in front of Kid again.

The sand stuck to her skin and in her closely cropped hair, and Kid saw that she had a new scratch across her forehead. He moved to try and help her up and she nearly tripped over her feet to try and move away. Kid stopped. Liz crawled back to where Patti was and pulled her sister into her arms, shushing her.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say watching them. There was nothing he could do. He was a god and yet there wasn't one damn thing he could do to help his weapons.

Kid looked across what had become an impromptu fighting area and saw Crona watching with horror all over their face. They met his gaze and the emotions turned to pity.

In the center of it, Tsubaki was finishing the fight.

The other used her dark katana blade, swinging it into the unprotected area between ribs and hip. The real Tsubaki caught her blade again, easily. She twisted it and the other went down crashing into the ground as her arm bent unnaturally. "Don't you dare presume one thing about my brother," Tsubaki said, again in the same cold and furious tone. "And don't assume you know about who we are," she finished, kneeling over the wild eyed and messy weapon. She uncurled the chain and stood.

The other Tsubaki laid panting in the dirt, now spotted with blood, and Kid watched the fight slowly die from her eyes. She flopped back in the dirt. For a moment everything was still. No one moved. Kid wasn't sure if he could. It felt as if he had been frozen from the neck down, only able to watch in horror as the world unraveled around him. Maka looked as bad as he felt, one fist pressed up to her mouth to stifle sobs, staring down at her stained boots. Soul stared at her, helpless in the face of her grief.

Tsubaki was watching her double, hands behind her back and face as still as the night sky. Black*Star kept trying to open his mouth but nothing came out. He looked from the weapon next to him to the one on the ground, trying to stutter out her name.

The other Liz and Patti stayed wrapped together, Patti rocking gently backwards and forwards and Liz's hand tight on the back of her messy hair. His own weapons stood on either side of him.

Kid felt something slide into his right and left hands. Looking down, he saw Liz's perfect french manicure and Patti's bright blue glittery nail polish wrapped around his hands. He squeezed them and looked at Crona again.

They walked over to Tsubaki, still in the sand. They extended a hand and waited for her to grip it, then pulled her to her feet.

"We need to keep moving. The city isn't far enough behind and if they catch us, none of this will matter," they spoke very softly. Crona pushed a matted bang out of Tsubaki's eyes, and Kid ached for their touch. His heart clenched in his chest and for a moment he nearly stopped breathing. He missed his Crona, the gentleness of their hands and voice, the progress they had been making towards recovering their dignity. The one who had not lost their hope.

"I'm sorry. What happened to you is terrible, and someday we will make sure you avenge your brother, but today we need to survive. We need to keep moving," they repeated.

Tsubaki's face crumpled in a terrible grief, her hand tightening around Crona's. The other Liz and Patti forced themselves to their feet as well, watching.

"Do you promise?" Tsubaki whispered, knuckles white. Crona smiled and it was a savage thing, sharp and cold as their sword.

"Yes. We'll come back, burn them to the ground, and plant roses in their ashes."

Tsubaki smiled as well and it was rusty and misused but they shook Crona's hand and stepped back.

"We'll follow you."

Crona dipped their head. Then they turned to the real meisters and weapons, the smile dying on their face. The piteous look was back and Kid could tell Crona didn't fully know what to say to them.

"Come on. We need to hurry." They started walking again, but Free stopped them again.

"Crona. We can't go on," Free said quietly.

"Why?" Crona snapped, looking at the werewolf. He gingerly laid down and rested his head on his paws.

"I'm sorry, Crona, but Medusa is dying."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Crona nearly jumped when Tsugumi dumped another load of books on the desk.

"I found more that mentioned Eibon!" The girl sat down next to Crona, and grabbed the one on top. She sneezed when dust rose from the yellowing pages.

"Bless you," Anya muttered distractedly from the other side of the desk. She wrote a quick note in the note pad she'd brought to today's session and flipped the page.

"Have you found anything?" Tsugumi craned her neck to see her meister's writing.

"I've found dead spiders and lot of dust. I've also found that latin is hard to read, and that Eibon was exceptionally boring for being the man who designed weapons. Aside from that?" the blonde shook her head. "Nothing."

Tsugumi sighed in frustration. "There must be something! He must have written down what the book does somewhere!"

Meme, her head resting on the table, moved her eyes to look over at Tsugumi. "Maybe he forgot?" she asked.

Crona slumped into the chair and rubbed their eyes.

After finding out what had happened to Maka and the others, the girls from the NOT class had immediately volunteered to help Crona. The sun was slowly setting and Crona sighed quietly. It had been another day of not finding any helpful information from the books on Eibon. The wizard had been frustratingly enigmatic. At this point Crona was pretty sure they knew more about Arachne, who was usually mentioned alongside him, and Lord Death.

"Do you think any of the witches would know how to reverse it?" Tsugumi asked hopefully.

Meme shook her head. "Once a spell is cast, you have to kill the witch to break it." Her eyes were distant, thinking. Crona gently placed a hand over her arm. Meme shook her head, coming back. She grinned bashfully at Crona, who smiled back.

Crona had only the vaguest memory of Medusa's other sister, Shaula. There was a pair of mismatched eyes, screaming, and blood. Just another soul for Ragnarok to eat.

Anya sighed and stood up. "I need a break from this place." She grabbed Tsugumi from her chair. "Come with me to get coffee." Anya dragged her weapon away, clutching the girl's arm. "You two keep working and we'll bring you snacks!" she said over her shoulder.

Meme stood up as well, stretching. "I need a break too. Are you going to stay here?"

Crona nodded and looked back at the stack of books. Meme nodded, understanding.

"I'll be right back, then."

Crona watched her walk away, towards the library door.

They looked down at the book in their lap. It was a small thin book, which was supposed to be about Eibon's life. However, Crona thought that the author had about as much luck in finding information about Eibon as they did, because most of it seemed to be about why wizards and witches were bad. ' _All seem to have a penchant for unmitigated destruction. Whether it be humans or Death's followers, it is immaterial to Eibon and the witches who simply desire chaos. This is even reflected in the Grand Wizard's writings, where to disguise the true nefarious nature of his designs he would write backwards._ '

Croan stared at the last sentence, lips pursed.

Write backwards?

Could it be that simple?

"Crona?" They looked up to find Meme back, and Anya and Tsugumi approaching with cardboard cups. "Did you find something?"

"I-I think I know how to get them back," Crona said.

"I-I n-need to see the Book of Eibon." Crona told Spirit, still holding the library book.

"Why? Do you think you know how to get Maka back?"

Crona nodded hesitantly, then held out the book. "Eibon wrote backwards. I-I think if we do the spell backwards we might be able to reverse it."

Spirit took the book from their hands and read the paragraph.

"It only says he wrote backwards for the tools he made, not the spells, Crona." The death scythe pointed out gently.

"B-but he would have needed a way to reserve it, if he used it."

Spirit sighed. "I know you want to help, Crona, and I know you miss Maka. So do I but I just don't think-"

"Hang on, Spirit." Crona winced when Lord Death spoke from his mirror. They risked a glance at him. As always the mask completely obsured any clues as to what he was really thinking. It reminded Crona too much of Medusa, and never knowing if she was in a good mood or a bad mood or how Crona was going to be used today. His head was tilted ever so slightly to the right, and he leaned forward slightly in the mirror.

"There's no risk in seeing if it's a least a possibility, Spirit. And Eibon was a practical joker, the old dog." The Grim Reaper tilted his head back and forth wildly. "Yes, Eibon was a wild prankster. I can tell you stories about how he used to drive the witches up the wall, wasting magic on making useless buttons and whirligigs. Once when I visited him, he used the small intestine-"

"U-um does this mean we're going to try it?" Crona cut across his story.

' _Dear Allfather, he's worse than your fucking boyfriend about symmetry. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, huh Crona?_ ' Ragnarok hissed in their thoughts. Crona chose not to reply and kept their eyes fixed on the mirror.

"Do you truly believe this will bring them back, Crona?" Lord Death looked down at them, and Crona did their best to straighten up and stare back.

"Yes."

After what felt like the eternity that Crona had to wait for the door to the dark room to be opened when they lived with Medusa, Spirit's voice finally broke the staring contest.

"So I should go get the book?" He looked to Lord Death.

Finally the Grim Reaper nodded.

"Yes. If Crona thinks this will work," he shrugged his shoulders, "Who would I be to doubt their faith?"

Crona felt their knees go weak with relief. "C-can we try it tonight?" They asked eagerly.

Lord Death nodded again. "Yes. Have Sid go and get the frog witch again."

Crona turned around to leave the Death Room when his voice stopped them. "Crona, good job." His voice was quiet but sincere and Crona could feel a small smile grow on their lips.

They nodded nervously. "Thank you, sir."

The hallway where the cells were was very dark. Crona swallowed around their fear and followed Sid.

"You know, I was never the kind of man to go waking people up in the middle of the night, but a lot of things have changed since then." His voice echoed down the hall. Crona didn't reply but tried to move a little closer, the shadows creeping along the old walls.

Eruka's cell was like all the others and it was quiet inside when Crona tried to listen. It was a plain metal door, and Crona shuddered.

Sid knocked on it. "Witch Eruka, get up." There was no noise and Sid knocked louder.

"Get up!" Crona heard a small squeak and then a thud.

"For Hectate's sake…What on Gaia's green earth do you people need at… Whatever hour this is?" Eruka snapped, her face appearing at the small window in the door.

"We need you to try reading the spell from Eibon's book again. Crona thinks they know how to reverse it," Sid explained.

The witch laughed. "What does the half-breed know about magic? I know Medusa never taught them any."

Sid's grimace seemed to become harder. "Their name is Crona. You'll come with us or Professor Stein will be here to visit in the morning to _explain_ the urgency of the situation."

Eruka paused, then her face vanished from the window. She seemed to be thinking.

"Okay, fine. However, this time I have terms of my own." She came back to the window.

Sid crossed his arms over his chest. "This isn't a negotiation, witch."

"You need my help, which actually does make this a negotiation. That's what it's called when another person has something you want. I know that I'm the most powerful witch you have in captivity. You could wait for Angela to get old enough to help you, but I sense some urgency in your voice. You want my help, meister?" Eruka pressed as close as she could to bars. "You let me see Free."

"The werewolf?" Sid sounded surprised. "Why?"

"None of your business," she snapped. "I want to see him, tonight, or you can throw your creepy doctor at me all you want, I won't mess with any more of Eibon's spells."

"That isn't your decision to make," Sid paused then sighed. "You understand I can't leave the two of you together unsupervised, right?"

"Don't care."

Sid sighed again, and scrubbed one blue skinned hand over his face. "I didn't bring the keys for his cell and I'll need more help if we're going to have enough control for him. Crona, can you stay here while I go find Professor Stein and Ms. Marie?"

"Y-yes," Crona nodded. They watched him walk back the way they'd come. Crona jumped when Eruka snorted from behind them.

"Do you really have a plan for trying to reverse the spell? That's not an easy thing, you know," she asked.

Crona nodded, then realized Eruka couldn't see. "Y-yes. I think if you read the spell backwards-"

Eruka laughed suddenly. "Backwards? That's the oldest trick in the book. Eibon was a great wizard, I don't think he'd use such a childish method to reverse his spells."

Crona hung their head. Maybe they were wrong, maybe this wouldn't help at all and Maka and the others really were gone forever. Crona thought about Kid, his kind hands and even voice, and wanted to cry. What would Crona do without him? What would they do without _Maka_? For a moment Crona thought about running after Sid and telling him to stop, Crona was wrong, and dumb, and this wasn't going to work at all, how could Crona be so _stupid_ to believe they could do anything right?

' _Who am I to doubt their faith?_ ' Lord Death's voice floated to the top of their mind.

' _Not one more word. You're hurting my friend and I can't stand it. For someone who calls themself cowardly, you're always putting someone else ahead. Please stop hurting yourself, Crona._ ' Crona reached up and touched their cheek, where Maka had held them close.

' _Of course you deserve it, Crona! You're so kind and patient. Why wouldn't someone like you deserve a party?_ ' Kids eyes had been so very golden and sincere. He'd stared at Crona as if they were worth something.

"No. It's going to work, Eruka. I know it will."

Free was more than willing to be woken up and was brought to Eruka's cell. He was flanked by Marie and Stein, who both seemed rather messy, and hadn't noticed that Marie was still wearing Stein's lab coat.

"Eruka!" The werewolf hardly seemed to lower his voice at all. "It's been an eternity, how are you holding up?" The frog witch sent him a deeply unimpressed look.

"How do you think, Free?"

He grinned at her, baring sharp teeth.

Sid coughed. "We do have things to do tonight. I always valued a sense of urgency when I was alive after all." He unlocked the cell door and Eruka immediately rushed out to throw her arms around Free, giving him a hug. After a moment the very surprised Free returned it.

Marie let out a quiet 'aw'. Sid gave her a sharp look.

Crona realized they would be going nowhere until the witch was done.

"S-Sid? Would it be okay if Free came with us? If he behaves?" Crona asked hesitantly. The zombie gave them a searching look.

"He'll behave! Right, Free?" Eruka immediately said, looking at him. Free nodded.

"Of course I will. I'm a man of honor."

Sid looked from Crona to Eruka and Free, then back again. He didn't throw his hands up in defeat but he looked close to it.

"Fine. We need to meet Spirit with the book, and if this is what it takes to get it done tonight, that's what it's going to take."

"What in Death took you so long? I could have gotten coffee while I was waiting," Spirit complained when they finally got back to the room where the ceremony was originally held.

"We were held up," was all Sid said.

Eruka and Free were chained securely to the floor. The magic circle was redrawn. The powerful sage incense was lit.

Stein looked over at Crona, who was standing against the wall, biting their lip. He waved them over to where he and Marie were sitting on some of the abandoned desks.

"Y-yes Professor?"

Stein chuckle was raspy. "Don't look so nervous. I just want you to explain your hypothesis for this," he waved his hand at the assembled crowd, "experiment."

Crona took a deep breath and straightened up. "Eibon was a practical joker, according to Lord Death. He hid his work in backwards writing and other tricks. You need a powerful spellcaster to even work the spells he has. But all of his tools are simple to use, once you know his trick. I-I think that the same would apply to his spells," Crona finished. Stein nodded his understanding.

"They're getting ready to start," Marie pointed out.

Sid had re-drawn the chalk circle and Eruka was once again holding the book open in her hands.

"Sortsev odacov nodie. Obnum coh eb a itne upes ba suitus egaq coh. Rutnevom, muretla, sunu, nonna," She chanted. At once the flames leapt up at her command, this time in a brilliant purple color. Eruka continued her to repeat the spell, over and over, until the flames were licking the ceiling. Crona stared into the flames.

' _Please. Please, Kid. You said you would come back. You promised me. You told me you would never, ever lie, not to me. Please come back._ ' Every fiber of their being was bent on it, every part desiring to see familiar shapes appear in the flames.

Eruka stopped chanting and the flames gradually died. There was nothing there.

"It didn't work," she needlessly informed them.

Crona hung their head, hands clenched in the black fabric of the dress.

They'd been a fool. Just like always.

"Of course it didn't work, Eruka. It's a portal. You need both sides to open it," Free interjected.

Crona looked up so fast their neck cracked.

"What?"

The wolfman shrugged. "Yeah. Your friends were sent to another place and someone on their end needs to open a door for them before they can get back. If they're anywhere with magic it should be easy."

"But how would we know if the portal is open on their side is open?" Spirit demanded.

Free grinned. "You would need to leave this one open and see what comes through."

"And how do we do that?" Marie asked.

"You would need someone exceptionally good at spatial magic to wedge it open for you, like putting a stopper under a door."

"I suppose you know an expert?" Stein asked innocently. The wolfman grinned and his stolen eye sparked.

"As it just so happens, I do."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Kid watched the fire burn.

Medusa was dead.

Again.

Somehow, he still felt cheated that he hadn't been able to shoot her either time.

Crona stood away from them all, surrounded by the souls of Medusa, Arachne, and Shaula.

Their face was fixed into a perfectly blank mask. No tears or outward anger, but a complete shutdown of their emotions.

The sun was setting over the Death Valley and the temperature was dropping. The weapons had curled together next to Free, the greatest source of warmth. Maka had insisted on helping Crona build Medusa's funeral pyres. They had to cut the witch into pieces and burnt in different places, since any large flames would draw the attention of the city, whose dim lights could still be seen.

The last fire was dying as the stars started coming out.

"We'll stay put for the night. We won't be able to navigate in the forest, and the four of you need rest," Crona said tonelessly. "We didn't bring any food but we'll leave at first light and make it back to Baba Yaga."

They walked away, scouting the tops of the dunes. He noticed Maka staring at them too, biting her lip.

Kid would have loved to be the one to go after Crona. Would have given just about anything to go and try and comfort them, talk them through the death of their last family member. In the real world he would have curled his hands around their and they would have talked softly about Medusa. About his father. About best intentions gone awry and how they'd both been influenced in their way of thinking because of them. Kid would have been able to hold the real Crona in his arms and kiss them softly.

But here he couldn't do any of those things. So instead he nodded at Maka and turned away so she could go after Crona instead.

Kid had never felt so tired.

Black*Star had hardly said a word to anyone since the fight with Tsubaki. It was unnerving to say the least. He was working on a small fire pit when Kid returned to the impromptu camp. The real weapons seemed to be hesitant to make any quick moves around the others, as if they were wild animals that needed to be treated with the utmost caution.

The other Soul hadn't said a single word so far. He barely moved, red eyes gazing into some faraway vision only he could see. He didn't react to Maka or the real Soul. The girls all seemed to cluster around him and Patti, trying to keep them warm.

Black*Star had the fire going, then sat further away, legs crossed under him. Tsubaki sat next to him, her hand wrapped around his arm. She was speaking softly, her eyes on his face while he stared into the flames.

"Do you think time is progressing in our world?" Soul asked him quietly, sitting next to him in the sand. Kid shrugged.

"I'd assume so. Why do you ask?"

Soul shrugged. "My family calls on sundays. Just need to know if I'm going to get lectured about missing it."

"Is Wes alive?" The voice was so hoarse and cracked that it took a moment for Kid to realize it was the other Soul who spoke. He was staring at the real one, some presentness in his gaze.

"Y-yeah. He's doing well," The real Soul stuttered out. The other smiled thinly.

"Good." Soul lapsed back into silence.

Other-Tsubaki stared at him in amazement. "That's the first time I've heard him talk in a year," she muttered in amazement.

"Glad I could help," Soul said sardonically.

Maka and Crona choose this moment to reappear. Crona's face was still stiff and fixed. Maka was very quiet and seemed to sit closer to Soul that she normally would have.

Crona took Medusa's soul out of their pocket again. It bobbed in front of their face, emitting a faint purple glow.

"Are you going to do it?" Tsubaki asked.

Crona's eyes slid over to her.

"Am I going to eat the souls of my mother and aunts?"

Kid shivered. That was the coldest he ever heard Crona's voice. Tsubaki didn't even flinch.

"Yes. Crona, I know it's hard. But it's the only way we can get home," she said softly. "You'd be the only one with enough power to get us back."

Crona didn't reply, still staring at Medusa's soul.

"What about them?" Patti asked quietly. He looked over at the huddled weapons. Patti's doppleganger was already asleep, mostly on top of Liz. Kid shrugged.

"They should come back with us. It's the only thing we can do for them now," Maka said.

Crona sent her a puzzled look. "Why would they leave with you?"

"They're our partners."

Crona let out a disbelieving 'ha'. "I'd ask their opinion first."

Maka frowned, looking over at the weapons. The other-world Tsubaki was still bruised from the fight, and trying to work out the tangles from her long hair.

"You would come back to use with our world, right?" Tsubaki looked up, confused.

"Without meisters?"

Maka looked hurt. "We would be your meisters."

Tsubaki dropped her hair, snarling. "Maybe I'm sick of being someone else's tool. Maybe I don't ever want to be a weapon again. Maybe I don't want my identity to be that of a killer!"

Maka insisted, "We're different. It's a partnership, not an enforced slavery."

"You aren't listening. I don't want to be a weapon. I don't want to be a thing." Tsubaki insisted. "We aren't people to meisters. We're things. Possessions. Livestock. I'm here to be used a weapon and be thrown away when I can no longer serve."

Kid felt ill. ' _If I don't become a Kishin, Lady Medusa will abandon me.'_ Crona's voice echoed in his head. Exactly how were the weapons in the world any different than what Crona had been forced to become? Turned into prisoners of their own bodies, and seen as nothing more than a tool to be used.

Maka opened her mouth to argue back.

"Maka. It's their choice," Kid said softly. "If you don't want to come back with us, that's your decision."

Crona had never had a choice. Trapped by Medusa then monitored by his father, they'd never even had an option. The least he could do here would be to let someone have a say in their fate.

"The witches will take you in," Crona said evenly. "We always need more hands."

They sighed, turning to the real Tsubaki. "You need to return. You can't stay here, it won't work." Their voice was so flat, so lifeless. They reached out and touched the soul, gently running a long finger over the surface.

"We need to get back to Baba Yaga. Then I can get the book and send you back."

"Thank you Crona." Tsubaki nodded her head at them.

"Far be it from me to keep you from your home," Crona said quietly.

The sun rose in bloody reds and vibrant oranges over the dunes and scrub bushes of the valley. The early powder blue of the sky seemed to match Crona's eyes, at least to Kid's mind. The world seemed quiet as they hiked the last part of their journey to the portal back to Baba Yaga.

"Do you think they'll come after us?" Other-Liz asked, looking over her shoulder at the city in the grey light.

"Yes. They will. You're the personal weapons of Death's son." Crona's answer was blunt. They looked over their shoulder. "But he won't ever touch you again. The witches will protect their own."

The other Liz's hand tightened on Patti's, but for once a forced smile was on her face.

"Can witches use weapons?" Other-Tsubaki tilted her head. Crona shrugged.

"Some can. Our souls are probably compatible. But most choose not to. Witches prefer their own power to someone else's."

The portal was covered in sand when they found it again. Crona brushed it away, whispering the words to ignite the green flames again. Crona stepped through first, then the weapon doppelgangers. Then it was Maka and Soul, Black*Star and Tsubaki, Liz and Patti.

Kid hesitated for a moment, looking back at the black dot of the city.

It was a husk, a husk and a sham of everything his father stood for, Kid thought viciously. This whole world a crumpled and nightmarish version of what _should_ have happened. His father should have been the one in the right, the one holding back madness. Not the witches, not the enemy of the DWMA. How could it have gone so wrong? Was there anything that could have stopped it, or was the this world tied to fate, tied to its ruined destiny?

Kid wished he listened to Crona, heeded their feelings and convinced his father to destroy the book, instead of investigating it.

As Kid stepped through the portal to join the others, it crossed his mind that the real world was as much a victim of fate as this one.

The woods were blessed relief from the open desert. The castle was still waking as they approached and it took a moment for everyone to realize who was back.

'They're back! Crona and Free are back!" One of the woman standing guard called out. Voices rose up as the magical door yawned open again.

"Where is Arachne? Where is Medusa!"

"It's the weapon! The magic weapon who ate Angela!"

"Why are they here? Crona, what's happened?"

The interior of the castle was dimly lit, and seemed to be even more hollow and empty than before. The witches and humans stood clustered around as Crona led them in.

A very hunched witch with long, grizzled grey hair hobbled past the crowd. One beady eye stared at them, and at Free, and the other-world weapons who were shifting uncomfortably under the weighted looks from the clustered group.

"Crona. Where is your mother? Where is Medusa?" A crow swooped down and landed on her shoulder.

"Nevermore." It croaked. The witch stroked its beak, still staring.

"She, Arachne and Shaula are dead." Crona released their souls, letting them hang in the air.

The crowd gasped like a multi-headed hydra.

"No! It can't be true!"

"We're dead without them!"

"Who will protect us from the meisters? Who will save us from Death?"

The words rebounded and echoed overhead, each clamoring over the other.

Free howled, and even Kid had to struggle not to cover his ears from the sound. The witches and humans cowered while the wolf sung his grief.

"Stop." Crona held up one long fingered and calloused hand. Free's howl died, echoing in the stone.

"Grand Witch, I intend to take my Aunt's place as the leader of the coven, to protect the humans from Death and save my race from extinction. I will consume the souls of my family."

"That's heresy! Monstrous!" Someone cried out but the Grand Witch held up a wrinkled hand.

"Are you prepared for that, Crona? Prepared for those consequences? Death will hunt you, as he hunted your mother and aunts and all your family. You will never have peace, and your life will be dedicated to the coven."

For one moment Crona hesitated. Then they stood straight, as if someone had strengthened their spine with iron and lit a fire in their blood.

"For too long we have cowered in our stronghold as Death runs rampant over the earth. He destroys all he touches, and has disrupted the balance of our world. I'm sick of hiding in the dark. I will consume my bloodline's souls and I will bring us back to the light! If I need to become as monstrous as him to do it," Crona lowered their head and curled their hands next to their lean thighs, "So be it."

"Crona, no." Maka's whisper was lost as the witches suddenly screamed their approval of the declaration. The Grand Witch ducked her head in acceptance and stood aside to let Crona and the meisters and weapons pass.

"Arisa!" Crona barked at a witch in a faded yellow bomber jacket. "Take these four to Diehl. Tell her to spare no resource in healing them. Find them food and water."

She nodded and looked at the weapons curiously.

"Come on. She's a crab but she's the best healer we have." She started leading the weapons away. Crona kept walking, but Kid watched as the familiar frames of his weapons were led away. The Other-Patti turned and looked over her shoulder at him. She waved good bye and Arisa led them around one of the curving hallways of Baba Yaga and that was last Kid saw.

"I-I didn't-" Black*Star mumbled faintly next to him. Maka looked between where the weapons disappeared and Crona's back, cutting through the dispersing crowd. With a frustrated groan she finally plunged after Crona, trying to keep up with their long strides.

"Kid. Forget about it. We need to go," Liz said in his ear, and steered him away.

Arachne's room was in the same condition it had been when they'd been here forty-eight hours earlier. Nothing had even been touched and the door was still splinted from where Maka had kicked it in.

Crona stared at the broken lock as they walked in, heart shaped face vaguely bewildered. They shook it off and grabbed the doors after everyone was in behind them.

"Free. No one is to interrupt us, no matter what you hear." The werewolf, now a raggedly-dressed man in bare feet, nodded and leaned against the wall. Crona shut the door completely.

"Here. We need to move this." They gestured to one of the tables. Kid immediately rushed forward and helped them move it, till it was parallel to the other.

"I've been dying to do that since we got here." He confessed. Liz let out a quiet but fond sigh.

The large magic circle was now revealed completely. Crona lit the candles that were on the table, affording them more light. Finally they went to a large chest that was shoved into a corner. Dark brown and covered in silver spiderwebs. Kid could sense the age even as he looked at it. Crona ran a hand over it and tiny carved spiders scuttled down the intricate webbing, each one letting out a small 'click' as the tumblers unlocked.

"Arachne said I could have this chest when I was older." Crona had that misshapen smile back on their face. "I don't think she intended to pass it on like this." The chest opened and and they reached into it to grab a familiar book.

This Book of Eibon was far thinner than its counterpart in their world. The cover was a plain leather, rather than the richly decorated blue and gold one. Crona placed it delicately on one of the tables then they took out the witch souls.

"Crona. You- I-" Maka stopped, shaking her head. Then she surprised everyone and took a step forward to give them a hug. "I'm sorry about Medusa. And Arachne. And that you have to do this now. It's not fair," she mumbled into Crona's shoulder.

Crona was stiff under the contact but gradually they raised their arms to slowly pat Maka's back.

"It's not," they agreed. "But this world has never been fair. Why should it start now?"

Maka released her friend, green eyes sad and hard. Crona tore their gaze from hers and grabbed Shaula's soul.

There was a reason meisters didn't eat souls. Kid was now witnessing why first hand. Crona's jaw hung wide open and their throat bulged as the soul slid down. They shuddered, and nearly gagged. Crona's limbs trembled as their soul expanded, becoming a darker purple and a large scorpion stinger emerging from it. When they opened their eyes, Kid swallowed hard. Their beautiful blue eyes had become two toned, divided by an 's' shape into a light bluish grey and the darkest navy blue. Maka turned her head away. Kid kept his eyes fixed on them.

Panting and trembling, they took Arachne's soul next. They struggled to swallow around it, tears streaming from their new eyes as they choked it down. As their soul expanded again Crona screamed. Kid could see why. Their soul was now about four times its original size, big enough to fill the room in its entirety. Eight legs erupted off it, squirming and sensing the air. They reached out into the walls and the castle shook as the magic was poured into it. Kid heard people outside the doors shout.

Crona wiped black blood from where their lips had split, forcing the souls into their mouth. They took Medusa's soul in their hand.

"What do you get when you mix a scorpion, a spider, and a snake?" They asked hoarsely.

"A chimera," Maka said brokenly.

"A monster," Crona answered and ate their mother's soul.

Ragnarok joined his meister in screaming as he erupted from Crona's back in a fountain of black blood. Two more arms of black blood emerged from Crona's back as well, becoming long and clawed. Medusa's soul expanded Crona's until it covered the castle, a bright purple beacon of a soul. Kid could feel it as the magic poured off of Crona in waves, like a dull throb behind his eyes.

Their scream stopped all at once. For a moment the only sound was their panting.

"Crona?" Maka asked cautiously. "A-are you okay?"

Crona's breathing hitched, and their shoulders shook. Kid realized they were laughing under their breath.

"I never realized!" Crona looked up and grinned. Their smile stretched over their face, showing all their teeth. "They had so much power." Their voice was singsongy and chipper. A rope of black blood shot out of their wrist and grabbed the Book of Eibon off the table, then zipped back, dropping it in their hands.

"I'm going to send you back, and then I'm going to grind Death under my heel."

"Crona." Kid whispered. They grinned manically.

"I'll need you to get in the circle."

Maka shut her eyes in pain and grabbed Soul's hand as they moved into the magic circle. Black*Star and Tsubaki moved in silently. Kid took one last look at Crona. On impulse he put his hands up to their cheeks and held their face.

"You aren't a monster, Crona. Don't let this world make you one. Please," he begged quietly, looking into their divided eyes.

They didn't respond.

Kid followed Liz and Patti into the magic circle.

Crona flipped the book open and started their chant.

""Annon unus alterum, moventur." The winds began to blow, stirring the flames of the candles. Crona's voice was deep as the ocean as it reverberated off the stone.

"Hoc page transitus, ad sequentia de hoc mundo." The green flames leapt up at their command and once again Kid felt his muscles lock into place. He kept his eyes on Crona running their pale hand over the page. They looked up as they read the last verse. Their two toned eyes were very blue as they stared through the flames.

"Eibon vocabo vestros."

His vision was obscured by green flames and smoke. Whatever was holding him tore loose and Kid was falling, again.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

Awareness came back to Kid all at once. At least this time he wasn't on the ground. As the room came into focus, he realized several people were calling his name.

"Kid!" One voice rang out clearer than the rest and when Kid was finally able to get the room to stop spinning, he saw Crona, the real Crona, just outside the magic circle.

They were back.

Everyone else was still getting their bearings, looking as out of sorts as Kid felt, but he didn't care. Within five steps he was out of the circle and within arm's reach of Crona.

Then they shocked the whole room.

When he's in grabbing distance, Crona, looking wide eyed and slightly desperate, took him in their arms. Their body temperature was cool, as always, but Kid could feel their heart hammering against their rib cage as they held him tightly. He wrapped his arms around them as well, face buried in their collar bone. Crona was tall enough to completely surround him and for the first time in days, Kid felt his muscles unwind.

"I-I thought I'd lost you," Crona admitted.

Kid couldn't answer, not with words. He couldn't yet express what's happened, could not even begin. His father would ask for a report soon, and Kid knew at that time he would be able to be cold and compartmentalize the experience. But here, in Crona's arms, he didn't even really want to begin. So instead he made a request.

"Please, kiss me?" He whispered and he could feel Crona's heart beat double.

Without replying, Crona placed their hands on his face, tilting it up to theirs. Rough thumbs smoothed over the skin over his cheeks and Crona was scrutinizing him. This was a step they couldn't take back. But something must have shown in his face because Crona's eyes filled with compassion and Kid hoped he could burn that look into his mind and replace the one of despair from their counterpart.

There were a multitude of gasps from behind him when Crona kissed him, gently. Kid closed his eyes and shut it out. He would never know how Crona is able to make his mind so quiet, make the constant tempest calm for a moment of respite. Their kiss was tender, closed-mouthed and much shorter than Kid prefered. They broke apart to breathe and Crona's forehead rested against his, probably to avoid having to look at the faces of their friends.

"I missed you."

Kid curled his hands around theirs, kissing one palm, then the other.

"Me too."

Their peace was a short lived and fragile thing.

"What the fuck?" Black*Star and Maka, despite their differences, were occasionally able to harmonize.

Kid groaned slightly before reluctantly uncurling his hands from around Crona's. He turned around to see them both wearing shocked expressions, with Maka's becoming significantly angrier. Liz's eyebrows had nearly disappeared into her hairline and Patti was trying not to laugh.

Kid's mind blanked on what to say to them. Somehow, 'surprise' seemed slightly inappropriate.

"Maka!" Crona intervened on his behalf, rushing forward to hug their best friend. The blonde accepted, even as she glared at Kid over Crona's shoulder.

Stein walked over and clapped him on the back.

"I can only assume that whatever happened will be quite the story, but I'll be honest," he grinned suddenly, "That's been my favorite part so far."

A week later and Kid was watching the sun gradually set over the city. He stood at the back porch of the Gallows, Beelzebub propped up under his foot.

His father had been ecstatic to see him. The Book was locked away. Kid planned on trying to convince him to destroy it. Maka disagreed, arguing that they should go back to try and help the other Crona and the witches.

Kid didn't know what to say to that, really. Maka was already hurt and angry by Crona's and his decision to keep their relationship quiet. He was content to let her work through it and Crona would convince her to come around in time.

"Hey Kid, are you coming in? Patti's picking the movie." Liz poked her head around the door. Then she saw the board and smirked, coming out of the door the rest of the way. "Or do you have other plans for tonight?"

Kid coughed, and hoped that his neck was not as red as it felt. "Crona and I were planning on meeting tonight," he eventually admitted reluctantly.

Liz put a hand on her hip. "Well, remember to use a-"

"Not that kind of meeting!" Kid yelped.

She grinned, and came over to sock his shoulder. "Are you sure? You don't need me telling Lord Death that it's time to give you 'the talk'? Or actually he'd probably just have Spirit do it, instead."

"Please don't." Kid grimaced. She smiled wider and leaned on the wall next to him, looking at the lawn.

"It's good to be home," she finally said, softly. Kid looked at her in surprise. Liz usually called New York her 'real' home. The place she expected to return someday. This was the first time he'd ever heard her say that.

"Yes, it is." Kid agreed, but even as the words left his mouth he could still hear the other Liz''s shout of, ' _YOU'RE A MONSTER!_ ' echo in his ears. He'd probably hear it for a long, long time.

"Hey Kid?" Liz was looking at him, scrutinizing him. "Can I tell you something?"

He nodded, surprised for the second time in under a minute. He knew Liz and Patti were each other's greatest confidants, and they would usually come to him together with secrets.

"That guy, the other you, he wasn't you, Kid. Not at all." Liz was completely blunt in her delivery, and Kid reeled for a moment. Liz stood up and placed her hands on his shoulders, more somber than he'd ever seen her. Kid was speechless as she continued.

"He couldn't have been further from the person you are. And those girls, they may have looked like us, kind of, but their lives aren't ours. We made the choice to come with you, Kid, and while I've seen stuff that scares the shit out of me, I haven't regretted a single moment as your weapon. Patti would tell you the same thing." Kid was pulled into a quick, tight hug before Liz let him go. "So I don't want you beating yourself up about something some stranger did, okay?"

For a moment Kid was silent, surprised and touched. Then he smiled.

"Thank you, Liz. I can't promise I'll be able to shake the experience, but I'll try not to think of he and I as the same person."

She rolled her eyes. "That's a start I guess. Like you need any more things to feel responsible for anyway." She headed back inside, calling over shoulder; "Tell Crona I said hey."

Kid stepped onto Beelzebub. "I will." The board hovered in the air before Kid turned it in the direction of the school, the evening air whipping through his hair.

Tsubaki didn't have soul perception but she liked to think she was pretty sensitive to what other people were feeling. Especially Black*Star.

In the week since they had returned she sensed that he was going through the motions, acting the way their friends expected him to act. Loud, boisterous, and over confident. But when he and Tsubaki where home, he'd spent more and more time training silently and meditating, eyes closed and the line of his mouth hard. She had a pretty good idea why.

It was probably the same reason she had for contemplating Masamune's shrine, tucked into a discreet corner of their shared room.

"Black*Star, I'm going a run. Do you want to come?"

Usually this statement would have him up on his feet and dragging her out the door before she could finish the sentence.

"Not really Tsu'. You should go by yourself."

For a moment Tsubaki simply watched her meister, watching his form sprawled across the couch, as if he was trying to become one with the beaten corderoy.

"Stop." Black*Star looked up at her, surprised.

"Tsubaki?"

She shook her head, and her ponytail brushed her cheeks. "Black*Star I know what this about. But I need you to stop." She crossed the room to sit beside him. "What did you say, after I told you that I might have been using you to catch Masamune?"

His green eyes hardened, and he looked away, but Tsubaki caught his face in between her hands, and brought their eyes back together. "You said that we were partners, that we work together."

"You hated me, Tsu. I made you-" he started, but Tsubaki quickly pressed their lips together. He opened to her tongue immediately, and it became more heated as they fought for dominance. She poured her frustration into the kiss. When she broke it they were both out of breath and Tsubaki was nearly in his lap.

"Don't ever say that to me. It was my decision, and I stand by it. By the time we found Masamune, he was a shadow of himself. He was hardly my brother anymore. The other me had her own experiences, so don't trivialize mine, okay?" Tsubaki whispered. Blue*Star continued to look away from her, eyes fixed on a point over her shoulder.

"He was what would have happened if I wasn't trying to surpass the gods." Black*Star eventually muttered.

Tsubaki nodded. "He was. And she is what would have happened if I'd been forced to serve. But neither of them is who we really are. They aren't Black*Star and Tsubaki. We are, and that's what matters." She kissed him again, gently. Suddenly he was laughing softly and Tsubaki found herself being hugged to his well muscled chest.

"Only a god could ever deserve you, Tsubaki," he grinned up at her as she shifted to get more comfortable on his legs. She smiled, hearing the 'thank you' in his voice.

"Are you ready to go on that run?"

Black*Star's smile turned more devious. "Nope, I think we should stay here and do other cardio."

"Maka?" Soul knocked on her door. "I'm making the last of the rice with the tofu. We're going to have to go shopping tomorrow if you don't want to have to start eating ramen again."

There wasn't any answer, and Soul didn't really expect there to be. But it still frustrated the hell out of him.

He got it okay? It wasn't as if he hadn't woken up the first night back, seeing some shapeless form over him with a sword and slice his arm off. He stayed up the rest of the night, fiddling with his guitar, reassuring himself that both hands still worked.

Maka had been hard to reach since they got back and Soul was uncomfortably reminded of what had happened after their first fight with Crona. The feeling of losing their resonance because neither of them could open up to the other. It was freaking him out a little. He could see the same feelings in Tsubaki's eyes, and the 'tough poker game' look on Liz's.

" _Maybe she got tired of having the weakest weapon in the group and is trying for someone new?_ " The demon's voice tickled the back of his mind but Soul shoved it further away. He'd deal with it later.

"Maka?" Soul tried again, rapping on her door. "Blair is threatening to cook again if you don't come out for dinner." The cat let out an affronted meow from the couch, and Soul shot her an apologetic look. However the ploy worked and Maka opened the door, looking mildly alarmed.

"You didn't let her near the stove right? I can't eat any more burned sardine salad."

"It's blackened, and it's from Louisiana." Blair called out.

Soul shrugged. "No. Crisis averted, but I guess I know what will get you to put your book down and come to dinner now, huh?"

Maka glared at him. "I've lost my appetite," she snapped and tried to close her door.

"Maka, come on. You've hardly been out of your room all week, other than to go to classes." Soul shoved his foot into the cracked door. "I even made sure the rice didn't burn this time."

Slowly Maka opened the door again. She sighed and head over to the kitchen. Soul rubbed his forehead, ruffling his hair. The dinner started in silence, only broken by the sounds of metal tines on plastic plates.

"Do you think he hates me?" Maka's voice was so quiet that for a second Soul thought he imagined it.

"What?"

Her green eyes traced over the scratched oak table they'd picked out together from a weekend at the Bazaar. "Th- the other Soul. Do you think he hates me?"

Soul winced. Out of all of the 'Other selves', his had been fairly tame, compared to the shrieking hellfire that Tsubaki's had been turned into and the hollowed out Liz and Patti. He'd hardly even looked at Maka, barely acknowledged her.

"Maka… I don't think he hated you. I think you freaked him out, and the other you was the one who took his arm, but Maka, he didn't even know you." She stood up abruptly, the legs of the chair squeaking on the tile.

"She looked just like me! Just fucking like me, Soul! And she did such terrible things, to you and Crona and, when I got up this morning I nearly broke my mirror because I thought it was her." Maka slammed her hands on the table, knocking over the empty water glass, sending it to the ground where it rolled under the table. Neither noticed.

"So how can you tell me he didn't hate me Soul? Wouldn't you?" Maka demanded.

"Because I couldn't hate you, Maka." The words slipped between his teeth before he could catch them and out in the open. She gaped at him, silenced for the moment.

"I couldn't hate you Maka. I couldn't even hate a stranger who looks like you. If that Soul was anything like me," Soul sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Then he wouldn't have been able to hate you, either."

Maka slowly sat back down, staring at him, lips pursed. "You really don't think so?"

Soul tried for a gentle smile and it wasn't as awkward as he thought it would be. "I don't."

She nodded absently, and went back to her food. The silence was now less like the oppressive and overbearing one before and more relaxed.

They were cleaning up when Maka spoke again.

"Soul?"

"Yeah?" He asked distractedly over his shoulder while he focused on scrubbing out the pan. There was a sudden soft pressure of lips on his cheek and Soul froze, nearly dropping the pan back into the water.

"Thanks." He turned to look at her, wide eyed. "I wouldn't be able to hate you either, you know," Maka muttered, then quickly left the kitchen. The TV turn on in the living room and Soul stood rooted to the floor in shock for a moment more.

"Wow. Took the two of you long enough." Blair jumped up on the counter top, smirking at him.

Soul grinned and flicked water at her, making the magic cat hiss and abscond. It was good to be home.

The ancient oak trees at the back of the DWMA were still green but shades of orange and red had started to appear through the leaves.

Kid landed under one of the oaks, looking around. The grounds were deserted, the sun rapidly sinking away. The bright yellow moon was appearing overhead, grinning like a maniac.

The grass was springy under his feet as he walked to find Crona. This was their favorite place to be with Kid. Actually, Crona seemed to love the outdoors in general, catching up after years of being trapped indoors. Kid's ears pricked as he heard Ragnarok's voice.

"I can't believe that worked, honestly. The old wizard must have been pretty stupid if someone like you could have figured it out," Ragnarok cackled, and Kid heard Crona squeak as the weapon pulled their hair.

He found them at the roots of the oldest tree on campus. People liked to claim it had been there since the school had been opened. Kid had never gotten his father to tell him if the rumor was true or not.

"M-maybe he wanted it to be simple? S-so people couldn't get lost when they used it?" Crona suggested quietly. They sat with their legs curled to their chest, chin resting on top of them. Ragnarok was out, leaning on their head and messing with his partner's hair.

' _He was twenty-five, I was six_.' Other-Crona's voice echoed in Kid's thoughts.

Before Ragnarok could argue some more, Kid made his presence known, coughing into his hand. Crona scurried to their feet, looking around wildly. They relaxed when they saw Kid, blushing slightly. He smiled fondly as he walked up to their tree.

"May I sit with you?" Kid asked softly.

Crona nodded, reaching out for his hands. Kid sat down next to them, their hands wrapping around each other's. For a moment they were both silent, looking over the city and the partial view they had of the school. Kid glanced at Crona's face and found their eyes on him as well. Both blushed, quickly looking away. Crona broke the silence first, raising their eyes to his face.

"I missed you. A lot."

Crona had stuttered this out multiple times over the past week, nearly every time they'd seen each other alone, which hadn't been very often. Kid had managed to get them to him about how they'd worked tirelessly to bring them back. He knew that Crona was intimidated by his father, and even though the circumstances had been dire, he was glad that they'd pushed their ideas, made their voice heard.

Kid smiled, squeezing their joined hands. "I missed you too." After a moment Kid sighed, and leaned his head against the rough bark of the trunk. His eyes closed, and the back of his eyelids still had the image of Other-Crona's eyes, mutilated. "I'm sorry, Crona."

"For what?" They sounded alarmed, and Kid heard them shift nervously next to him.

"I should have listened to you, to your concerns. We never should have used the book. It was a mistake."

They touched his shoulder, trying to get him to look at them again. "It wasn't your fault, Kid. It was your job." Crona's head leaned onto his shoulder, the weight heavy, and it made Kid vaguely uneasy, to only have that weight on one side. "You're all so sad," they muttered.

Kid finally opened his eyes, looking at them.

"What?"

Crona looked up at him, eyes very blue in the moonlight. "You and Maka and Black*Star. You're so sad. I can see it in your eyes and hear it when Black*Star pretends to laugh. I don't know what happened, but it made you all so sad." Their voice broke over the last word, choking slightly.

"Crona…" Kid was speechless. He couldn't tell them, explain how the wrong Medusa had loved them and then died again. How Marie's eye was slowly rotting away. Tell them their best friend was now their most hated enemy and what the Other-Crona had done to get them home. How could Kid reopen the slowly closing wound of hearing his partners, his best friends, cry and call him a monster, and know that Kid probably deserved it?

Crona hugged him. "Please, I don't care how sad it was. Tell me, let me help you, please," They begged against his neck. Kid slowly wrapped his arms around them, holding them both together.

Gradually, Kid's voice came, speaking quietly. Crona listened silently, fingers tracing comforting nonsense on Kid's arms as he told them about the alternate universe. Their hands tightened on his arms when he talked about Medusa, and he felt their nails dig in when he mentioned Marie.

The stars rose over the two, framing the moon. The night was still and quiet by the time Kid finished, choking on the lump in his throat slightly as he described the Other-Crona sending them back.

Crona gently cupped Kid's face in their hands after he finished speaking. Through misty eyes, he could see how serious they looked.

"Kid, what did you tell me, after Asura?"

"W-what?" he stuttered out.

"What did you say, what did you tell me about Medusa?" Crona insisted.

"T-that she didn't define you."

Crona softly placed their forehead to his, staring into his eyes. "He doesn't define you, Kid. The other one or his father."

Kid swallowed, looking into their eyes, blue and whole and so sincere. "Liz already told me not to blame myself."

"So please don't. Their world isn't ours, and it won't ever be," they whispered "Please, don't let them make you a monster, Kid."

Kid's eyes widened.

"You-, Crona-, I-" He tried and gave up, words failing him, and eloquence fled. Instead he pressed their lips together, trying to express to Crona what they meant to him. The words that neither of them knew how to say, not yet.

"Thank you." He broke the kiss. Crona smiled gently and kissed him on the forehead.

"It was easy to do, for you, Kid."

-FIN

" _This is what we do, baby, we nightmare you._ " - Country Love, Fall Out Boy, Rat a Tat


End file.
